My Gift of Love
by Yaoishoujo
Summary: It's Christmas time and Yuugi's all set with his gifts, but Yami hasn't gotten him a gift yet. Yuugi is crushed. Atemu/Yuugi, Kaiba/Jounouchi, Malik/Tozokuo, Ryou/Bakura, Otogi/Honda, plus Anzu bashing. Originally dedicated to a dear friend.
1. Prologue: Disappointment

A/N: This fic is dedicated to my hikari, Hitomi-chan(Shuuichi's Kindred Spirit)! I promised her a fic and I know I'm really late, but here I am! I hope you all like it! Especially you, Hitomi! Aishiteru!:::kisses and hugs:::

Summary: Christmas is nearing and poor Yami has no idea what to get his hikari. Yugi is all set with his gifts, but when he finds that his pharaoh isn't, he gets more than a little upset.

Warning: Yaoi fluff ahead, so if you don't like, then don't read!

Disclaimer: I don't own yugioh! If I did, Anzu wouldn't exist!

* * *

Prologue

As Yami and Yuugi sat on their living room couch watching nothing in particular on TV, a commercial for holiday shopping came on.

An innocent blushing face looked up at the pharaoh, "Christmas is almost here, Yami! I'm so glad I got all of my Christmas shopping done early. I got gifts for all my friends and family... even you. I got you the most perfect gift. How about you? Have you gotten all of your gift shopping done?" Yuugi's eyes silently begged his pharaoh to tell him that he at _least_ got him a gift.

Upon noticing this, Yami blushed and looked away, "Uhh... um... yeah, sure. I'm... all set..." He already knew that his hikari wasn't buying this at all.

Sorrow and fury enveloped the little teen's violet eyes, "Liar! You haven't gotten one gift yet, have you? Answer me!"

"Actually... I've gotten everyone a gift... except... you." The pharaoh bit his bottom lip upon saying that last word, for he knew what the result would be.

Yuugi's eyes went wide as he stood up to look down on his now cowering pharaoh, "What?! You got a gift for everyone... except ME?! Why?! Were you planning on getting me anything at all?!" His arms were crossed against his chest as he tried to act tough without crying his eyes out.

Yami hated being put on the spot, but loathed seeing his hikari upset with him even more. "Look, aibou, I... you..."

It was too late. Yuugi had burst into tears and ran upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Yami ran after him, only to find that door to his aibou's room was locked. "Please open the door, Yuugi! I'm really sorry!"

"Go away!" Yuugi's sobbing could be heard through his angered cry.

With little option, the depressed pharaoh decided that he needed some time to himself to clear his mind. He grabbed his leather jacket, opened the front door, took one last look back at the stairwell which led to his heartbroken hikari, then quietly stepped out into the cold winter night.

to be continued...

****

Owari

So minna, what do you think so far? I know the prologue is really short, but I wanted to see what people thought of the concept first. I'm also open to any ideas that you guys might have as to how the next chapter should go. Other than that, please review!


	2. The Plan

A/N: Yay! Second chapter... or... is it the first, considering that the last chapter was a prologue?! Oh well! Arigatou gozaimasu to everyone who reviewed! You guys are the best! Without your support, I wouldn't find the courage to post my fics! This fic is still dedicated to my hikari, Hitomi! I'm glad you like it so far! I know Yami was a bit harsh on Yuugi, but he has his reasons, which you will find out about in this chapter. Enjoy!

Summary: Yami is now wandering the cold winter streets. He happens upon a diner, where his hectic Christmas begins to unfold.

* * *

Wondering the streets on a cold night with nowhere to go is never the smartest plan. Yet, tonight, a sad and lonely pharaoh paid no heed to proper judgment. His thoughts held only the image of a heartbroken young boy with whom he'd hoped to spend a wonderful Christmas with.

After walking several blocks, he came across a diner. _Why not..._ he shrugged as he walked in.

"Hey, Yami! Over here!" A familiar voice called from the corner booth by the window.

"Jounouchi?" Shocked at seeing his friend here at such a late hour, the curious pharaoh walked over to the blond teen and sat across from him. "What're you doing here? It's really late."

"I could ask you the same thing. You seem to be troubled by something. Wanna talk about it?"

Yami looked down at the table in shame, "Yuugi's... upset with me." Forlorn emotions could be seen in his eyes as he remembered the look on his enraged aibou's face. "I... haven't gotten him anything for Christmas yet. I want to, but I don't know how to go about it. Getting you guys gifts was easy. But...Yuugi's... different."

Jou just smiled and put his hand on top of the pharaoh's trembling hand, "You love him, don't you?"

Crimson eyes went wide in shock as he stared up at his kind hearted friend. A large red hue encompassed his face, so he hid his embarrassment by avoiding any further eye contact. He nodded slightly in response to the previous question.

"Then why is it so hard to buy someone you love a gift? When two people love each other, then it doesn't matter how large or expensive the gift might be. What matters is that it came from the heart. Do you understand what I'm saying, Yami?"

Still flustered about this whole conversation, the nervous pharaoh spoke timidly, "Yeah, but... he doesn't know yet."

Blond brows knitted together, "Doesn't know what?"

"That... I love him..." He sighed heavily as he peered out the cafe window. _I can't believe Jou knew how I felt about Yuugi this whole time. I wonder if he knew before I did_.

Concerned and confused, Katsuya decided to gather more info. "Why haven't you told him yet? Everyone thinks you two were meant for each other... even Seto! And you know that means a lot coming from him, especially considering that he used to have a huge crush on you."

Yami couldn't help but smirk and laugh a little at that last remark. "Yeah, I remember. Poor Kaiba. I hated turning him down after he seemed to have practiced for weeks on how to ask me out. But, I didn't feel the same way he did towards me. It wouldn't have been fair if our feelings weren't mutual. I'm glad he got over it and found new love with you, Jou. You two are a perfect match."

Jou scratched the back of his head, blushed, and laughed. "Come on, Yami! You're making me blush, man. And don't change the subject! We're talking about you and Yuugi here. You need to tell him how you feel. You know that, right?"

The pharaoh's bright smile reverted back to it's original serious state. "... I know..."

Seeing that his friend was a little clueless in the ways of the heart, Jou decided to lend his expertise. "Alright, Yami! Since you obviously need a helping hand in this matter, your good old friend "Jounouchi the Love Master" has decided to guide you in the ways of courtship!"

As a sweat drop fell down the back of Yami's head, he raised an uncertain eyebrow at his vanity ridden friend. "Are you sure about this, Jou? You really don't need to help me. I'll be fine on my own."

The blond just shook his hand in front of the suspicious pharaoh, "Nonsense! I want to help. Besides, you two have been single for too long... especially in your case." With that said, he couldn't help but laugh.

Yami just frowned mock-sternly at the giggling blond, "Okay, I get it! I'm over 3,000 years old! Ha-ha-ha! Give it a rest already! It's not like I was that old when I got sealed away. I'm still in my early 20s, dammit!"

"I know, I know! I'm just kidding, Yami! But, seriously, you two have been hiding your feelings for too long. I'm definitely going to need help on this one, so I'll see if I can get the whole gang in on this. This is going to be so much fun! Now, you said you haven't gotten him a gift yet, right? That's perfect! I'll make sure this'll be a Christmas both of you won't forget!" His eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Yami looked at him uneasily and sighed, _I can already tell this is going to be one exhausting Christmas. I sure hope Jou knows what he's doing. He was able to win Kaiba over, so I guess he knows a thing or two about making a good impression_.

****

Back at Home

His pillow was soaked, his eyes were bloodshot, and his face was red with sadness and frustration. Yuugi had been sobbing on his bed for what seemed like hours.

"Yami, you idiot! Don't I mean anything to him? Did getting me a gift slip his mind or something? Am I _that _easy to forget? I guess Yami will never feel the same way as I do about him. Maybe I should have confessed my love a long time ago. But it's too late now. I'll never be with the one I love. Yami..."

More sobbing followed, until he fell asleep with tears still streaming down his crimson cheeks.

to be continued...

So, what do you guys think of this plot? I wanted to include all of my favorite couples in this fic, so that's why I had Jou mention they were going to help. I honestly don't know how I'm going to pull this off, but I'm determined enough to make it a reality. Please keep reviewing, cuz that's what motivates me the most!


	3. It Begins At The Mall

A/N: Here it is! The third chapter! Have you guys been waiting long? You guys have been so freakin' awesome! So far, this is my most popular fic.

Anyway, I want to thank the following people for reviewing:

**Shuuichi's Kindred Spirit: **I'm soooooo glad you like the fic so far! I hope that I can keep writing chapters that you enjoy! It is your fic, after all! Aishiteru, my utsukushi hikari! Itsudemo!

**Inu Rin-chan:** Chii-chan!!!!:::::glomps:::: I'm glad you like this fic! Arigatou!

**dragon shadows:** Here's the present you wanted! ::::::hands her the update::::: Merry Christmas! LOL Arigatou for the review!

**TheKingOfGames AKA Yami Yugi:** LOL Your review had to be the funniest! I like your spunk! Why haven't you reviewed the second chapter yet? ::::evil glares:::: Just kidding! I hope you like this chapter! Arigatou!

**Leoanda Taylor:** You're always so damn nice to me! Daisuki! I'm glad you like the story so far! I hope the rest is to your liking, too! Arigatou!

**Atemu Yugi Lover34:** Arigatou! Here's the latest update! Hope you enjoy!

**Yaoilover S:** Kiki-chan!!!!! ::::glomps:::: You've been so supportive of me! Arigatou gozaimasu! I hope you like this chapter!

**yaoihime:** Sorry I bugged you so much to review my fics! You're my sister, so your opinion means a lot to me! I love you! Arigatou for you continuing support!

**Lizzy(tears of a mermaid):** Hey Liz! You thought _Yugi _was being selfish?! Wow, that's a first! I was aiming for Yami to be the so called selfish one, but.......okay! I hope the second chapter clears things up for you! Arigatou

**Sami:** I feel for little Yugi, too, but he will have to suffer until the final chapter! MWHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Okay, you can officially call me a psycho! ::::::sweatdrops::::: Arigatou for your review!

**Obscured Illusions:** Sorry you hate Yami! The fic I reviewed wasn't bad at all! It was really funny! YOU MUST SEE THE JAP VERSION!!!!!! IT'S THE BEST!!!!! Anyway, I hope you're having fun in Aspen! Arigatou for your review!

**Shy:** Awwwww, you're a shy person?! Kawaii! Here's an update! Hope you like it! Arigatou!

Okay, that's all of you! Whew! I'm almost too tired to write the fic! Yeah right! I wouldn't leave you guys hangin for too long! You've all been so awesome

* * *

As Yami walked, quietly, through the front door, he made sure not to disturb his assumed sleeping hikari.

_I hope he's not too mad at me. When he wakes up, I'll make sure to apologize again._

He sat himself down on the couch that held such remorse from earlier that evening and turned on the TV.

_I hope this plan works, whatever it may be. I want nothing more than to make my aibou happy. So, everyone's going to help, huh? Sheesh! Why must a person go through so much just to get someone a gift? Is this how people are now a days?_

****

At the Jounouchi Residence

"Yeah... uh-huh... tomorrow at noon? Great, great! He'll be so surprised! Yeah... I'll make sure he's at the Domino mall on time... Uh-huh! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know how you get. Just don't go overboard, cuz Yami's new at this, okay? Good, I'm glad you're learning self control. Yeah... Look, I've gotta go. More people to call, you know. Yeah, okay. See ya!"

As Jou hung up the phone, he scratched his head in worry. "Man, Ryou goes _nuts_ when it comes to shopping! I hope he won't scare Yami out of doing this. I really want those two to be happy... together." He shook his head a few times to put his mind back on track. "Alright! Time to call everyone else and tell them about the plan. I hope all of 'em aren't too busy. I'll make this work no matter what!"

With an extra boost of confidence, Jou spent the rest of the evening calling all of his closest friends to tell them about his elaborate plan to get Yami and Yuugi together.

****

The Next Day

Looking over at Jou while sitting in the passenger seat of the blond's car, Yami grimaced. "Jou, are you sure it's safe for me to go to the mall with Ryou? You know how he gets. I'll be exhausted in less than an hour."

Jou gave the wary pharaoh a smile before reverting his gaze back on the road. "It'll be fine, Yami. I told Ryou last night to tone it down, considering you're new at this whole thing. I know he'll keep his cool. Or, at least, I hope he does."

Yami looked worried and ready to call it quits.

"Don't worry, don't worry! If he goes a little too crazy, just tell him to relax."

The pharaoh gave the blond the most sarcastic glare. "Come on, Jou! This is _Ryou _we're talking about. Telling him to relax is like asking a gay guy to wear plaid. It ain't gonna happen."

"But, _you're_ gay." Stated Jou, pointing out the obvious.

"And you don't see me wearing plaid, do you?"

"Point taken." The taller boy just patted his friend on the shoulder, "I'm sure everything will be just fine. Oh we're here! And, look, there's Ryou waiting in the front... jumping up and down... like a teenage girl..."

Both boys sweat dropped at this amusing sight. Yami couldn't help but feel even more nervous about today's events. "This is going to be one long day.'

As Jou pulled up to the front entrance, Ryou ran up to the car, excited as ever. "Hey guys! How's it goin'? You ready for some heavy duty shopping, my poor little love sick pharaoh?"

Yami raised an eyebrow at his excitable friend, "Yeah... sure, Ryou. Ready and rarin' to go, I think..."

A bright smile flew across the brown eyed teen's face as he grabbed the less than ready pharaoh by the arm. "Then let's get goin', Yami! We don't have a lot of time since you have to meet more people before Christmas."

Both waved their farewells to Jou, although Yami's was more of a 'don't leave me alone with him' wave. As soon as the car was out of sight, Ryou got behind Yami and pushed him into the mall. "Come on, let's get started! Do you have an idea about what you want to get Yuugi?"

"No... actually, I haven't got a clue. The only thing I _do_ know is that I want it to be special. One that signifies how much he means to me." Even though he was getting shoved by the snowy haired albino, Yami was able to smile softly as he thought about his feelings for his sweet aibou.

Turning to face the dazed pharaoh, Ryou grinned at his love sick comrade. "I'm glad you've finally decided to tell him. Honestly, I was worried about you two."

With his full attention now on the sudden mood change in Ryou, the Egyptian pharaoh cocked his head to one side, "Why is that?"

Ryou's bright smile was now calm and serious, "Because both of you seemed so miserable as each day passed without either you coming clean about how you truly felt. I'm not the only one who was worried, you know? Everyone was." His sweet smile came back, "But now the wait is over. You two will finally be together and find true happiness!"

Yami rarely saw his chocolate eyed friend act so serious and, he had to admit, it was rather cute. "Thanks, Ryou. You're a great friend. I can only hope that you're... well, more like, everyone's wish to see Yuugi and I get together becomes a reality. To be honest, I'm a little doubtful of that outcome, considering the fight we had last night. He probably still hates me." Sadness enveloped crimson eyes, which Ryou noticed right away and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you. In fact, I'm willing to bet money on him forgiving you at this very moment and wishing you were there by his side. Don't worry, my dear friend. With what we have planned for him, there's no way in hell he could stay mad. Speaking of which, we really need to get started. All we've been doing is talking and wasting precious time. Let's see, where should we start..." He surveyed the directory very thoroughly until he spotted an ideal location. "Perfect!" His eyes lit up as he pointed it out to Yami.

Since the pharaoh still wasn't that knowledgeable about these modern day shopping establishments, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "You're the boss! I have no idea what I'm doing, so I trust your shopping expertise. Let's get to it."

Ryou grabbed Yami's shirt sleeve anxiously, "That's the spirit! By the time Christmas is here, you're going to be a happy love crazed machine!"

Yami looked puzzled, "A... love machine?"

Ryou giggled, "Hell yeah! Now let's get a move on!"

to be continued...

****

Owari

In case you guys were wondering, I plan on leaving all of the details to the plan and what unfolds as a result a secret until the final chapter. ::::evil laugh::::: I want you guys to be just as surprised as Yuugi! Please review! Especially you, Hitomi! Aishiteru! Happy Holidays minna!


	4. Anzu Be Gone!

A/N: Here I am with the fourth installment to this story! I'm having a lot of fun writing this fic and I hope you guys are having fun reading it! This chapter is going to be mainly focused on Anzu bashing, cuz I've been DYING to do some. Ryou's going to be a bit more OOC cuz I kinda needed him to be, for the sake of someone needing to be level headed when faced with the creature from the black lagoon! It sure as hell isn't going to be Yami.

Anyhoo, I'd like to thank the following reviewers:

**dragon shadows:** I'm glad you like Ryou's new personality! Hope you like this chapter!

**Hikari's-dark-side-08: **LOL Thank you, again, for calling it a masterpiece! Keep Muraii under control or he'll kill Yami before he can give Yuugi his perfect gift! LOL Here's the update! Hope you enjoy!

**Sami: **Hello again! I love people who are loyal to fics they like! It's a rare find! It's okay if you call me a psycho, cuz I kind of am! Most of my friends call me that and I'm proud of my psychoness! Anyhoo, you are so sweet! Calling me a great writer! Arigatou! Thankfully, Yugi'll be in the 5th chapter, so feel at ease.

**Blackcat15200:** Konnichi wa and welcome to my yugioh story! Don't worry, the gift I have planned is PERFECT!!!!!

**Shy:** Hey you kawaii shy person! You are NOT bothering me! Authors love reviews! You are a very sweet person and I look forward to your next review!

**Shuuichi's Kindred Spirit:** Aishiteru, my hikari! I'm sooooooooooooo glad you liked this chapter as well! I think you'll like this chapter even more.........or.......at least.........I hope you do! :::::bites nails nervously::::: Love ya with all my heart!

**Lizzy:** LOL I'm glad I made you laugh! I really like Ryou's ultra-fem side! I KNOW you'll like this chapter!

You guys are great and I look forward to more reviews from you! Arigatou gozaimasu! On with the fic!

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, The Gap, Hot Topic, or the Energizer Bunny.

* * *

Finishing up the special tailoring being done on Yami's outfit for Jou's special plan, Ryou looked at his watch. "Hey, Yami, we still have an hour to spare. Wanna do some more shopping?"

Yami was surprised at how much energy he still had after spending two hours at the mall with Ryou. "Sure, why not? Come to think of it, I do need some new shirts and a pair of new leather pants would be nice, too."

"Then let's head to the Gap! Maybe we can stop by Hot Topic afterwards to get those leather pants you want. Actually, now that I think about it, I've never seen you wear denim before. Do you dislike wearing jeans or something?"

Yami raised an eyebrow at the curious teen's question before coming to a sudden realization. "You know, before today, that subject has never crossed my mind. I've been so accustomed to wearing nothing but leather that any other alternative seemed redundant. Would I even look good in jeans?" He glanced over at Ryou for confirmation.

Ryou gave him an uneasy look, scratched his head, then nodded after giving Yami a complete 360 degree examination. "Sure, I think you'd look great in jeans. While we're at the Gap, you should try some on. They're really quite comfortable."

"Oh my gawd, how cool is this?!" An annoying familiar voice came from what seemed like nowhere.

The boys looked frantically for the source of the interruption. "What the hell was that?" Yami questioned before a disgusted, mortified look overcame his face. "Oh, shit! It can't be..."

Both boys did a 180 only to have their worst nightmares come true. "Anzu?!"

She smiled and waved, "Hi guys! Out shopping? Cool! Can I join you? I was just out window shopping when I came across you two! What a coincidence! This is so great! Three best friends shopping together at a mall! How perfect is that!? My mommy always says that friends are the most important things in the whole world! She's right, you know!? When I was a kid, she......"

As she continued her ear piercing ranting, the two boys looked on in disbelief.

"Ryou?"

"Yeah?"

"Why, of all days, did we pick the one that she goes shopping? I thought we knew that this was the only day out of the week that she comes here."

"I guess it slipped our minds. We got so caught up in our shopping errands that we failed to realize she'd be wondering around here."

"Why won't she shut up? Doesn't she ever stop to breathe?"

"I guess not. Shouldn't one of us say something?"

"Good idea. You go first."

"Hell no! You're a closer "friend" to her than I am. Thank you, Ra!"

"I hate you." With a deep breathe, Yami took a step forward, "Ahem! Hey, Anzu! Anzu? Um... excuse me..."

"... and then there was this cute little white kitty that I took home, cuz I wanted a pet, but mom said that cats make her sneeze. So..."

"ANZU!" Yami surprised himself as he screamed in frustration at the talkative teen girl.

Anzu cocked her head to one side in confusion. "What's wrong, Yami? You don't look so good. Are you sick? Do you need me to take care of you?"

Ryou and Yami shuddered at that last question.

"I can take care of you. I have plenty of medicine at home. We can take a cab down there. Staying sick isn't good for your health. My mommy always tells me-"

"Please, Anzu, shut up for two damn minutes! Dammit, you're like the fuckin' Energizer Bunny!" As soon as Yami saw that he, at least, had a small amount of her attention, he continued as calmly as he could. "Now, Anzu, please listen. Ryou and I are _very _busy right now and we can't-"

"What is it you guys are doing? I wanna help! Pleeeaase! Oh, hey, who does that outfit belong to? Can I see it?" She pointed at the tailored outfit wrapped in plastic that Ryou was holding.

As if to hide it, Ryou immediately flung it behind his back, "No, it's Yami's! He's doing something very special for Yuugi on Christmas and it's taking a lot of planning."

Anzu's cheeks flared with jealousy. "For... Yuugi?! Why do you want to do something so special for him, Yami? You know, he's been very grouchy and moody these past few days. I don't think he deserves to have anything special done for him this Christmas."

Yami's face matched the crimson shade of his eyes as he clenched his fists in fury. "No one talks about my aibou like that! Especially coming from a slutty, low life, little bitch like you! I DARE you to say something else!"

Seeing that the pharaoh was just seconds away from sending the bewildered brunette to the Shadow Realm, Ryou decided now would be a good time to intervene. He got in-between the two and focused on the furious pharaoh. "Okay, Yami, take a breather. We don't want to create an even bigger scene. Step back for a sec and let me handle the rest, okay?"

Though Yami's blood was still boiling, he slowly stepped back without taking his death glare off of Anzu.

Confident that the anger ridden pharaoh wasn't going to pull a fast one, Ryou turned around and locked eyes with a stunned Anzu. "Consider yourself lucky, bitch! I just saved your sorry, pathetic, useless life from an eternity in hell. So, in return, you will listen and do exactly what I say. Never associate with us again. That includes Jounouchi, Honda, Yuugi, Otogi, Seto, Bakura, Malik, Tozokuo, and Mokuba. If you do, Yami won't be the only one giving you hell. You'll be sent to places far worse than the Shadow Realm. I'm glad we have an understanding. Have a nice life." With that said, Ryou about faced and walked away with his arm wrapped around Yami's forearm.

"BUT I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!" Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Yami looked up at the proud albino and pleaded, "Can I PLEASE send her to the Shadow Realm?! PLEASE?! Just this once! It'll be quick and I'll only leave her there for a day or two... maybe. Come on, Ryou! She deserves it!"

Ryou just smirked at him, "I told you that we don't want to create an even bigger scene. Lots of people are already staring in our direction. Let's not make it worse, okay?"

The defeated pharaoh sighed, "Alright, alright! I understand. I won't make a scene."

"Glad to hear it. Unfortunately, our little rendezvous with Anzu left us with no time to shop. We have to meet Jou in the front in about 15 minutes."

Yami looked at him in disbelief as he grabbed Ryou's hand to look at his watch. "Are you serious? Dammit! That bitch ruins everything! Well, let's head to the front. I don't wanna keep Jou waiting."

"Good idea. Don't worry, we'll go shopping together again some other time, okay?"

Yami smiled, "Sure. This was actually a fun day, except for the little disturbance in the end."

They both laughed as they walked out the front doors to wait for Jou.

"Hey, guys, over here!"

Ryou and Yami looked shocked when they saw Jou waving at them from inside his car.

Agitated that Jou didn't inform them that he would be early, Ryou crossed his arms. "How long have you been waiting, Jou? You could've called me on my cell phone to inform us of your early arrival."

Jou scratched the back of his head, "Oh, yeah, that's right. Sorry, Ryou. You know me. The small details always escape my mind."

Ryou couldn't help but smirk as he rolled his brown eyes, "Yeah, I know. Well, see ya later Yami, Jou. Good luck with the rest of the plan. I'll be waiting in the wings. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

Yami hugged his snowy haired friend tightly, "I will. Thank you for today, Ryou. I'll see you again soon. See ya!" He then got into the car and was soon out of sight, leaving Ryou waving goodbye.

As they headed for the Kame Game Shop, Jou noticed the outfit wrapped in plastic. "Is that the tailored outfit we discussed? I can't wait to see it come reveal day. I'm sure Yuugi will love it, too."

Though inwardly doubtful, Yami managed a small smile. "Yeah. So, who's next on my 'people to see' list?"

"Malik!" Jou exclaimed excitedly.

The pharaoh sweat dropped and sighed. "Not another ultra-fem, happy-go-lucky, endless energy teen boy! Oh well. If I can survive spending a day with Ryou, then Malik should be no problem."

As they pulled up to the shop, Jou said his farewells, "Get some sleep, Yami. You'll need a lot of energy for tomorrow. I'll call you tomorrow before I pick you up. Night!"

"Night, Jou! See ya tomorrow!"

****

Owari

That chapter was my longest yet! Tiring! So, people, how was this chapter? Did I do a good job at bashing Anzu? I tried really hard thinking of the perfect scenario. Please review!


	5. The Perfect Gift

A/N: I hope you guys didn't have to wait too long for this chapter! I've been kind of busy lately! I had to work on New Years Eve and New Years Day! Ugh! It was so exhausting! But, anyway, how have you guys been? You can tell me when you review if you wish! Luckily, I was able to write this whole chapter in two hours, so my right hand was a little sore after that one. It's my longest chapter, so far, and my fav, but you guys might have a different opinion.

Summary: Drama between Yami and Yugi ensues once Yami enters the household. The next day, Yami goes shopping for jewelry with Malik at Kay's Jewelry Store, where he discovers the perfect gift for Yugi.

Again, here's a huge thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter:

**Yaoilover S:** I changed it to PG-13! As I read through that last chapter, I realized that there was too much cursing to leave it at PG. And, yes, I pity _anyone _who has to come across Anzu's slutty ass! DEATH TO ANZU!!!!!

**Shy:** :::glomps Shy and squeezes::: You are so damn cute! I love your reviews! There's no way you could ever bother me! You're too kawaii!!! Here's your 'shyly' awaited update! Hope you like it!

**Poofball:** Welcome to my story! I hope I don't get any flames either, cuz that'd probably break my writing spirit. I'd hate for that to happen! I love writing! I'm glad you really like my fic so far! I hope you continue to review. In the meantime, lets go grab some good flames so we can roast Anzu!

**Inu Rin-chan: **Arigatou Chii-chan! I loved writing that last chapter! Anzu bashing rocks! I hope you like this chapter!

**dragon shadows:** You rock! You've stuck with me through four chapters and I can't thank you enough! I hope you stick with me till the end, cuz you're one of my most valued reviewers! Well, I don't actually know the Energizer Bunny! I just find Anzu's mouth baring a striking resemblance to it! LOL Make sense? I'm glad you loved the last chapter and I hope you love this one, too!

**tears of a mermaid:** Hey, Lizzy-chan! See, I knew you'd love that last chapter! I might include a little Anzu bashing in the last chapter, but I'm still undecided on that. Oh, and as you read my fic, I want you to take ten steps back, away from your computer. LOL You know why! Wouldn't want you getting hurt again!

**Leoanda Taylor:** I feel so bad, cuz you've been such a great friend and supporter, yet I haven't emailed you in awhile! :::lowers head in shame::: Gomen nasai! I will as soon as I can! I promise! One question about your review: Did I ever indicate that Yami and Ryou weren't good friends? I admit Yami does get annoyed with him, but that's only because Ryou is so energetic. Thank you for your review!

**Shuuichi's Kindred Spirit:** Wow! So far, it seems as though the fourth chapter was your favorite. I hope this update is to your liking, cuz, if it isn't, then I might have to rewrite the whole thing! Just kidding! I'm not that crazy! I want to see this story through to the end! I love you my hikari!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or any of the jewelry at Kay's Jeweler. I'm just borrowing them, so don't sue me thinking you're going to get any money out of it!

* * *

A deep breathe

A worried expression

A sorrowful sigh

Yami expressed these to their full extent before turning the knob of the front door that led to a place that held such remorse. It was only 8pm. Yugi would be awake--probably sitting on the couch watching his favorite shows. As the guilt stricken pharaoh clutched the hanger that held his tailored outfit, he quietly wondered how he was going to explain himself and if his aibou will find it in his heart to forgive him. Dammit, love can be so painful sometimes! But, to this ancient Egyptian pharaoh, pain was never an issue when it came to his violet eyed beloved. He'd walk through hot coals, climb the tallest mountains, and endure any sort of torture if it meant his little Yuugi would be happy.

Darkness was all that greeted Yami as he crossed the threshold. Sure enough, though, not too far away on that same sorrow filled piece of furniture, laid a motionless small teen boy watching 'god knows what' on TV. Yami tried to sneak up the stairwell to reach Yuugi's room, where he planned on hiding his garment, but was stopped cold by a very quiet, mellow voice.

"So, where have you been, Yami, or should I even ask? I heard Jounouchi's voice, so I can only assume it was him you were spending time with today." He paused for a moment, still not moving from his original position in front of the TV, before continuing, "Even though it's dark, Yami, I can sense that your body is trembling in fear. What are you so afraid of? That I might still be mad? Is that it? Don't worry. Just give me a couple more days. By then, I should be back to my normal self. You really hurt me, Yami, and I haven't completely forgiven you yet. Maybe we'll see each other in the morning, but, then again, you'll probably just forget I'm even here, right?"

"Yuu-" Deciding that any explanation he'd give his hikari would fall on deaf ears, the depressed pharaoh slowly headed up to the room where sleep would be non-existent. How could he sleep when he knew that his precious aibou was down in the living room, tears probably engulfing his innocent eyes, falling asleep once again with a broken heart?

Collapsing on his bed, Yami felt tears streaming down his cheeks as he clung to his pillow. "Man, I'm such a jerk! Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea. I'll call Jou and tell him that I can't go through with it anymore." Tears began falling faster as he dialed the all too familiar numbers. "Come on, Jou, pick up! ... Jou? Oh, hey, it's me, Yami. Look, I'm really sorry, but I can't go through with this plan anymore. It's just too painful. I'm sorry... I just... " he broke down and sobbed into the receiver.

The blond tried his best to calm his upset friend, "Yami, calm down, man! You might wake up Yuugi. He _is _asleep, right? Look, we've come too far to just suddenly quit. I told you I was going to make this plan work no matter what and I'm keeping to my word. Don't be afraid, Yami. Everything's going to be just fine. It'll all work out. Trust me. You love Yuugi, don't you? Please remember that you're doing this for him. If you back down now, he'll never know how you truly feel. Are you _really_ okay with that? ... Sorry, man, I gotta go, but I'll leave you with one thought: How far are you willing to go for the one you love? Think about it. If you believe your will is strong enough to withstand a few mishaps, then be in front of the Kame Game Shop at noon tomorrow. The choice is yours. Get some sleep, Yami. Goodnight." Not expecting a reply, Jou hung up the phone.

A quiet, deep in thought pharaoh hung his line up as well, then laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. _How far am I willing to go for the one I love?_ He closed his eyes and smirked, "Hmph, like I really need to reconsider that." He fell asleep knowing full well what his plans were for tomorrow.

****

The Next Day

11am

Yami opened his crimson eyes, yawned, sat up, stretched, then smiled with determination before getting out of bed to get ready for the day ahead of him. Changing out of his pajamas, he dressed himself in his usual casual attire, headed to the restroom to brush his teeth and groom himself, then quietly walked down the stairwell. Once at the bottom, he glanced over at the short teen who was sleeping peacefully on the couch. Walking over, the pharaoh knelt in front of his sweet aibou, moved some of the blond locks from his innocent little face with his hand, then gently kissed his forehead.

He whispered, "Don't worry, aibou. Everything will be just fine. All will be revealed shortly. Please wait just a little longer." He kissed Yuugi's forehead one last time, causing him to stir in his sleep. He stood up, walked over to the door, took one last look back at his love, then stepped out to wait for Jou.

****

12:15pm

Jou finally pulled up to the Game Shop where Yami was waiting rather impatiently.

"Where the hell have you been, Jou? You're 15 minutes late! Malik is probably freaking out right now!"

Jou did his signature scratch behind his head followed by a smile, "Sorry, sorry, Yami! My favorite show came on at 11:30 this morning and... I wanted to watch it."

Yami gave him an annoyed look, "You could have just recorded it on a blank tape. Jeez!"

The blond gave the pharaoh his famous puppy dog eyes, "I'm sorry, Yami! Please forgive me?"

Yami sighed and put his head in his hand, "Now I know how you got Kaiba to date you. You gave him that look, didn't you?"

Jou gave a throaty laugh, "I guess you could say that. Actually, I asked him one day why he agreed to go out with me and his response was classic. He said he didn't want me to annoy him with my stupid puppy dog act anymore, so he agreed to date me if I promised him to tone down that idiotic personality of mine. Hehe! That dork had no idea what he was getting himself into. He knows that I know he can't resist my puppy dog charms. I always use them to get my way and he hates it. I'm just too damn irresistible!" He tried to strike a Fabio pose, but failed miserably.

Yami couldn't help but smirk. "You're a very strange person, Jou, but I think that's what people like about you. At least, that's why I like you. That and the fact that your heart is too big for your body. Your kindness never ceases to amaze me. You've done so much for me and Yuugi that I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you properly. You deserve only the best in life." He smiled sweetly at his precious friend.

When Jou glanced over at Yami, he couldn't help but blush a little from the kind words combined with the kind smile he was bestowed. "I... think we're here. Yeah, there's Malik!"

Turning his gaze away from Jou, Yami looked at his surroundings and almost instantaneously his face turned white as his jaw dropped. "Kay's Jewelry Store? Jou, why am I meeting Malik here?"

"'Cause Malik thought you could use some new jewelry for your special evening and I happen to agree with him. Ancient Egyptian artifacts aren't exactly in style right now."

The pharaoh sighed and slouched in his seat, " Okay, whatever. Let's just get this over with."

As Jou pulled up to the front entrance, Malik ran up to the car looking gaudy as ever. Gold was hung, clipped, wrapped, and pierced all over him, yet it always looked very tasteful. "Where have you guys been? I was worried sick that you guys might've gotten into an accident or something!"

"No, nothing like that. Jou just decided that afternoon sitcoms were more important than meeting his friends on time." Yami, along with Malik, gave Jou an evil glare.

Jou frantically waved his hands in front of himself. "Hey, come on guys, don't give me those looks! I said I was sorry! Can't we just drop it and focus on the more important issues? Like getting Yami ready for his big night, for instance."

Malik sighed and placed a hand on Yami's shoulder, "Lets go, Yami, before Jou flips out even more. We'll see ya later tonight, Jou. And don't worry about a thing. I'll take real good care of our love sick pharaoh."

"I'm counting on you, Malik. Make him look extra pretty, okay?" Jou smiled and waved as he sped off.

"Oh, for sure. Yami, by the time I'm done with you, you'll be the talk of the town. Everyone in Domino will see how beautiful your new look is. Now lets accessorize!"

Yami raised an eyebrow at his perky tanned friend, "You know, Malik, you act _so_ much more fem than Ryou."

Amethyst eyes went wide in shock, "You really think so? I've always thought Ryou was way more fem than me, but that's just how my silly little mind works. Since we're all gay, though, I don't think it should matter who the 'gayest' one is."

Yami laughed, "Yeah, I guess you're right. But I still think you top the charts."

The golden haired Egyptian smiled and took a bow, "Why thank you!"

Once inside the store, two pairs of eyes flew open in amazement. Yami had to admit that the sight of jewelry made him feel giddy and more than a little anxious. He reached out and grabbed Malik's arm, yanking it like an impatient child.

"Come on, Malik, lets get started! The anticipation is killing me!"

Malik was all too surprised at seeing an Egyptian pharaoh act like this. "Wow, Yami! This is a whole new side of you. I've never seen you act like a kid in a candy store. I like it! This is going to be so much fun!"

After about an hour of trying on almost every piece of jewelry the store had in stock, something caught Yami's eye. He immediately rushed over to a glass case to get a better look and became awe stricken.

"Hey, Malik, come here for a sec! I wanna show you something."

Though he was in the middle of admiring himself in a mirror, Malik quickly rushed to his friend's side. "What's up, Yami? Find something good?"

"Look! Aren't they beautiful?" At that very moment, Yami's ruby eyes became wider as he suddenly realized his gift searching days were over. "Hey, would this make a wonderful gift for Yuugi?"

Malik smiled softly and put a comforting hand on the pharaoh's shoulder. "Yami, there has never been a more perfect gift. You have great instincts for this kind of thing. You probably could've done this on your own. I know Yuugi will be speechless and in awe when you show him these. Great job, Yami!"

"Thank you, Malik. Do you _really_ think he'll like them?" Yami was still a bit uncertain about his decision.

"Like them? He'll LOVE them! I know I would. Hell, I'd probably faint if Tozokuo ever decided to do something like this for me. I doubt that'll ever happen, though." He shook off the oncoming depression and re-focused his attention on his friend. "Don't worry, Yami. Have confidence in yourself. Your love for him will be read loud and clear once he sees all that you've done for him. And remember, we're all right behind you for support, okay?"

Yami felt a lot of gratitude for having such wonderful friends at his side. "Thank you so much! I could never ask for better friends. I'm so grateful." He lunged into Malik's arms and held him close.

Malik held Yami close while rubbing his back, "You're welcome, my dear pharaoh. Everything will be just fine. Just the pleasure of knowing I have you as a friend is enough to keep me smiling. We all love you, Yami, and want you to be happy. Now we still have to buy your wonderful gift, you know?"

Pulling away, Yami smiled, "You're right. I'll get right to it. Thanks again Malik."

Malik blushed a little, "Anytime. Now let's buy that gift so that we can spoil ourselves with more jewelry!"

Yami smiled, "Okay!"

to be continued...

****

Owari

Did I torture you guys enough with the minor details to the gift? Like I said before, all of the final parts of the plan will be revealed only in the final chapter! :::evil laugh::: I hope you guys aren't hating me too much for this! Please stick with me! I love you guys! Review!


	6. Uncertainty

A/N: Okay, people, two things: (1) GOMEN NASAI! I didn't mean to make you guys wait so long for this chapter to be posted. I swear! I've been very busy; not to mention stressed out about a lot of things. I've also been getting no sleep lately. So, I've been kind of a mess, as you can plainly see; and (2) Beware of this chapter! It has quite a bit of rambling and I was afraid of how you guys would respond to it. If it's bad, then please tell me, okay? The next chapters will be better, I promise! Don't hate me for this chapter. :sits in a corner, nervously twitching her fingers:

Summary: Malik is done with Yami, but what about Seto? Jou has some rather bad news for Yami, which leads to a breakdown.

Disclaimer: Same as always, but in this one, I don't own the Tootsie Pop. Don't ask, just read.

Okay, I know I usually thank everyone for their reviews, but this time I want to ask you all something. Does the fact that I take up space to write thank you messages bother you guys? If so, I'll stop immediately! One thing, though, this chapter is still dedicated to my hikari, Hitomi-chan! Demo, this chapter is dedicated to **tears of a mermaid**! She's helped me through thick and thin and has been a huge supporter! Arigatou, Malik-chan! Daisuki!

* * *

Walking out of the store after what seemed like an eternity, Malik surveyed their spoils. "Damn, we raked, Yami! But, then again, I always go overboard when I come here."

Yami smirked at his golden haired friend who had about ten bags dangling from his thin hands, "You're not the only one who went crazy. I can see why you come here so often. I think you can officially call me a regular customer. Thank you for bringing me here. This has been a really fun day."

"No problem. We'll definitely do this again sometime. I only hope that by that time, they'll have restocked their shelves with new items, cuz I think we wiped them out."

Both boys laughed before focusing on the pressing matter that lay before them. Looking around, Yami, once again, became annoyed, "Jou strikes again! What the hell could he be doing now? I'm really gonna chew his ear off this time. First, he decides to come extra early when picking me up from the mall, then he shows up late... twice in one day! Jeez! What am I gonna do with that boy? What time is it, Malik?"

"Quarter past seven. Should I give him a call?" Malik took out his cell and prepared to dial.

The pharaoh raised a hand, "That won't be necessary. The longer he makes us wait, the more reason I have to send his mind to the Shadow Realm."

Malik laughed warily as he put his cell away, "You're a pretty scary person, sometimes. You have a really short fuse that sets off when we least expect it. You know, Jou told me about the whole Anzu incident."

Crimson eyes grew wide, "How did Jou know about that?"

"Ryou called him last night and told him everything."

A pissed and extremely annoyed expression fell upon Yami's face, "Damn that Ryou! He's always had such a big mouth. I guess Jou will have some company in the Shadow Realm."

Violet eyes held concern and worry as the ancient Egyptian tried to calm the enraged pharaoh, "Calm down, Yami! Ryou didn't mean any harm. I think it's better that the whole group knows about the incident. He _did_ tell her to stay away from all of us, so don't you think we have a right to know what's going on? Wouldn't we be wondering why Anzu suddenly stopped bugging us and want an explanation? Now, relax and take it easy. Let's go sit on one of those benches while we wait for Mr. Late."

Looking over at his concerned friend, Yami lowered his head in shame as he headed over to a vacant bench. "Sorry, Malik. I do have a rather hot head, not to mention a one track mind. I always tend to focus on insignificant little things; more so until they grow way out of proportion. To tell you the truth, I'm just really anxious to get this whole plan done so I can give this to Yuugi." He pulled out his precious gift to stare longingly at it once more. "... I can't wait to see the look on his sweet face. This'll be one unforgettable Christmas."

Malik smiled at Yami's dazed expression, "You got that right! I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be so exciting! How could it not be? It's the night you and Yuugi finally confess your love and become a couple." He sighed dreamily, "Oh, how romantic! I wish Tozokuo would at least do something remotely similar to this. It kinda makes me jealous, you know?"

Seeing his friend suddenly become so melancholy, the ancient pharaoh put his hand on Malik's, "I'm sure he wants to. I just don't think he knows how. I have an idea! Why not bring him to the confession so that he can get an idea about how it's done? Come on, Malik, what've you got to lose?"

Sullen amethyst eyes looked up as Malik managed a small smirk, "Yeah, maybe. I'll ask him, but I don't think he'll agree to go. You know how he is."

"Just show him that you really want him to go. If he really does care about you, he'll agree to tag along. If anyone was destined to melt Tozokuo's icy heart, it's definitely you. Everything will be just fine. You'll see."

"Thanks for the helpful advice, Yami. You're a good friend. I'll give it a try."

"I'm glad. And I'm also glad we ended this conversation so quickly, because here's Mr. Late now... speeding around the parking lot like an idiot..."

Both boys sweat dropped as Jou pulled up with a screeching halt. "Sorry, sorry, guys! I didn't mean to be late again. I was trying to get a hold of Seto, but I never got through. His answering machine kept picking up, so I left about twelve messages telling him that I need to discuss his part in the plan, since it is one of the more crucial ones. Let's go, Yami, so I can talk to you about this. We'll see you later, Malik!"

Yami hugged his dear friend goodbye as he whispered in his ear, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Just be strong and let him know your true feelings. I'm right here for any support you may need, okay? Thanks again for today. Love ya, Malik!"

Tan arms held the timeless pharaoh even closer, "You're very welcome! Thanks again for helping me. Love you, too, my friend. Good luck!"

A kiss on the cheek from the two Egyptians marked the final farewell. Yami stepped into Jou's car and waved as he sped out of sight.

Jou looked unusually anxious as he stared at the road without blinking. Wanting to break this unfamiliar mood, Yami cracked a smile, "So, Jou, what is this very important thing you wanted to discuss? Is it about the next part of our plan? Do you-" the pharaoh felt his heart twist in knots as Jou looked over at him with eyes that held such remorse and guilt.

Sighing, Jou looked back at the road and spoke seriously, "Look, Yami, ... I don't know if the whole plan can become a reality."

Taken aback by this, Yami quickly questioned this sudden change, "Why? I thought everything was going according to plan. What's changed? ... Jou, please answer me!" Heartbroken and confused, the defenseless pharaoh looked on in desperation. He searched in vain for answers in his friend's honey glazed eyes.

Knowing that what he was about to say would hurt his dear friend even further, he decided that being upfront would be the best method. "Listen to me, Yami. I'm going to be brutally honest with you..." he took a deep breathe before continuing "... I don't think the next and second most important part of the plan can be fulfilled unless Seto cooperates. I wasn't going to tell you about this part of the plan until Christmas Eve, but I guess, since it might not work out anyway, I'll tell you now. I don't have all of the details laid out, but I was planning on having a sort of virtual scenery created for the two of you. I guess you could call it a Christmas present from me, Seto, Otogi, and Honda. You see, since Otogi has great skills in virtual technology, I thought he and Seto could work together to create this specific arena. But, ever since I mentioned working side by side with Otogi, Seto's been extra cold and distant to me. I know he doesn't like working with other people on projects that he could very easily do himself, but I thought that maybe, just this once, he could put his pride aside just for a little while and do this one thing for me. But... I don't think that's gonna happen. I'm so sorry, Yami!"

Tears began flooding from Jou's eyes, so much in fact that it became hard for him to see the road ahead. Yami reached out his hand to wipe the tears from his precious friend's eyes and smiled. "Why are all of my friends having relationship problems lately? Jou, you know Kaiba as much as I do... no, actually, you know more about him than I ever will because you're his lover. He loves you from the bottom of his heart. He told me himself, face to face. You know how stubborn he is. He'll play it tough for awhile, but in the end, he always comes through. I know you know this, Jou, so why are you getting so upset?"

The blond tried sniffing back the onslaught of tears, "Because this is important to me! The one time that I really need his help, he decides to act as if it's another one of my lame-brain requests. It really hurts, Yami! I love him so much and, yet, I hate him for treating me this way! No, it's not only me he's hurting! He's hurting you, as well! All of this was supposed to be for you... for your happiness with Yuugi. Yet he acts as though it's meaningless! Why? Why? Why, dammit!"

That was it. Knowing that his driving would now become impaired, Jou pulled the car over, turned off the engine, and sobbed into the steering wheel. This was Yami's first time seeing Jou so emotionally broken. He felt his spirit break along with his friend's. Tears resurfaced as he continued to witness the heart wrenching sight that lay before him. Filled with love and sadness, the misty eyed pharaoh slowly inched towards Jou, wrapping his arms around him in an embrace that seemed to make time stand still.

Yami sobbed in unison with his distraught friend, "I had no idea. I didn't realize how much this meant to you. I'm so sorry, Jou, for every insensitive thing I've said to you these past few days. All you've done is be the kind, sweet, and caring person that you are and yet all I've done is yell in your face about the stupidest things. I'm so sorry, Jounouchi! Please forgive me for being so blind."

Although somewhat shocked by Yami's sudden outburst, Jou continued to sob on his friend's shoulder while returning the embrace with an even tighter grip. "Yami, none of this is your fault. You shouldn't apologize for something no one is blaming you for. Please stop crying. I'm sorry about all of this. This is supposed to be the biggest and happiest moment of your life, but all I ever seem to do is make you either mad or cry. I don't know how I'll be able to make it up to you or Yuugi. I'm truly sorry! I'll-"

Suddenly, Jou felt Yami's lips touch his cheek and became frozen in place. His tears stopped the minute the pharaoh's lips connected with his soft skin. After Yami reseated himself on the passenger seat, Jou placed a hand on the now moist spot of his cheek and stared in disbelief. A deep red hue now encompassed his face.

Yami only smiled softly as he spoke, "I love you very much, Jou. Don't apologize for being such a wonderful person. The only thing you need to be focusing on is getting Kaiba out of his icy shell. Here's an idea: try talking to him in person. He'll have no choice but to listen to you. Give him your signature puppy dog treatment. You know he can't resist that. Stress to him that there are only three days left before Christmas, so an immediate response is necessary."

Jou wiped the remaining tears from his hazel brown eyes and attempted to smile, "Okay, Yami. I'll give it a try, but I can't promise you a happy outcome. The only thing I can promise you is that I'll try my hardest to convince him. Right after I drop you off at home, I'll head over to Kaiba Corp."

"Thanks, Jou. You're the best! I know everything will turn out okay. Just remember that Kaiba really does love you. He's just really rough around the edges. You have to chisel through the hard exterior to get to the soft center."

Jou couldn't help but giggle, "You make him sound like a Tootsie Pop. But, you do have a point. The only problem is that no amount of chiseling will get through his tough exterior. I'll have to bring my chainsaw."

That very thought made Yami laugh, "Yeah, that's true. But, that's why we love him. You know, Jou, we'd better get going. It's almost 8:30 and Kaiba closes his doors at 9."

Quickly realizing that they were still parked on the side of the road, Jou scrambled to get the engine started. "Oh, shit, you're right! Dammit, I completely lost track of time! Sorry about this, Yami! Let's get going." With that said, the smell of exhaust and rubber were the only remaining elements of the car that sped off only but a second ago.

Yami shushed Jou as they pulled up to the game shop with a screeching halt, "You might wake up Sugoroku, so keep it down! Now, hurry on over to meet Kaiba and don't forget what we talked about. Be firm, but also a little passive. He needs to see how devoted you are to this plan and how much we need him in order for it to become a reality. Oh, and don't forget the puppy eyes. They're very important. Think you can handle all that, Jou?"

The blond teen winked and gave him a thumbs up, "Roger that! I'll make him help no matter what it takes. Trust me. See ya, Yami! Get some rest."

"You, too, Jou! Good luck!" Yami waved as he saw his friend speed off into the distance. _I hope he'll be okay. But, more importantly, I hope Kaiba comes through. I'm really nervous about this unpredictable outcome._

to be continued...

****

Owari

So, how was this chapter? Too much talking between characters? Sorry about that! I just couldn't stop once I got started! Please review! I love you guys!


	7. Desperate Times

A/N: I'm so sorry that I took so long to post this chapter. :bows: A lot has happened recently and has stressed me out to no end, but I'm doing okay now. I hope you guys will forgive my tardiness and think of this chapter as my personal apology. On a side note, you may have noticed that I have changed the rating on this fic to 'R.' I needed to do that cuz this chapter in particular is a little graphic. It's my first attempt at a lime, so I don't know if it's good or not. :sweatdrop: I guess that'll be for you guys to decide. But please be kind and give me constructive criticism instead of a flame.

Summary: The chapter begins with Yami at home and continues with Jou at Kaiba Corp, only to end with sweat and a reassuring smile.

Warning: Not only does this chapter contain a brief lime-ish scene between Seto and Jou, but Seto will kind of be ooc. Just a little, though. I had an idea about how I wanted this chapter to go before I wrote it, but none of my chapters ever end up the way I had originally planned. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Anyway, also be fair warned that there will be extreme waffiness and fluff ahead. Remember, you HAVE been warned!

Disclaimer: You know the drill!

* * *

What would be his excuse this time? Another late night with Jou is the only conclusion Yuugi would come up with once Yami set foot into that house. The pharaoh closed his eyes and sighed. He had no excuses. He had, yet again, spent another day breaking Yuugi's heart. Will his aibou be able to forgive him after all of this? Though his intentions were good, Yami was still deceiving the one he loved most. Pain shot through his heart as he clenched his shirt with his hand. Turning the knob slowly, Yami braced himself for the worst possible outcome.

Darkness, once again, met him as he crossed that threshold. But, this time, it was pitch black with no sign of a flickering TV or violet eyes that which gaze upon it. Where was Yuugi? His first thought was of his hikari sleeping in his room. If that was the case, then he obviously didn't want to wait to see Yami come home. As dreadful thoughts consumed his mind, the one that stood out the most was: _Would he even care if I came home anymore?_

Considering he already had his aibou's house memorized, finding the couch was no problem, even on the darkest of nights. Shortly after his body collapsed on the soft material, Yami realized this was his first time sitting on this couch since that traumatic night. A chill went up his spine, causing him to tremble. He looked over at the spot Yuugi usually sits and, even though he couldn't see it, he placed a hand on that once warm cushion. He lowered his head to rest on that very spot and inhaled.

Yugi's scent... so comforting... so vivid. It wasn't a scent you could describe with words. It could only be felt. To Yami, it was a reassurance... a miracle... a feeling that clutches his heart and soul, making him feel lightheaded, weightless, and so alive. It reminds him of how in love he is with his beautiful hikari. That night, Yami fell asleep with a heart full of love and a twinge of fear.

****

In Front of Kaiba Corp

Jou parked his car in front of his boyfriend's large establishment building and pondered as he stared in dismay.

_What am I gonna say to him? What'll convince him to help? Seto's not the type of person who'd help somebody out of his own free will. He needs to be persuaded somehow. But, how? It's not like I have any money to give him. Like hell he needs any, anyway.  
_

He rested his forehead on the steering wheel as he tried in vain to find an easier way to handle this. He sighed in defeat as he got out and headed for the front gate, where he'll need a good excuse just to have Seto let him in. One of the many security cameras surrounding the gate zoomed in on the blond teen.

"Hey, Seto, I need to talk to you. Can you please open the gate?" Jou tried to give the brunette his sincerest look.

Kaiba smirked in amusement, "Hmph, so you've come to beg for help, haven't you, puppy? Fine, I'll let you in, but once you're up here, you'll have five minutes to convince me not to kick you back out. Got that, my tame little puppy?"

Blushing slightly at the nickname Seto gave him, Jou casually walked into the cold, dark building known as Kaiba Corp Industries.

After the elevator doors opened on the 11th floor, the scared teen boy walked up to the double doors that led to his lover's office and knocked lightly.

"Oh, mutt boy, I've been waiting for you. Come on in."

With unsteady, shaking hands, Jou opened the large doors slowly, while breathing in deep. He knew that all of this was probably a waste of time. If Seto has never agreed to do anything for anyone in the past, then why would now be any different? An uneasy smirk fell upon Jou's face. Sometimes, he wondered why Seto even bothered being with him.

As usual, the office was pitch black, except for the computer screen flickering and a small desk lamp that stood on Seto's large wooden desk. As the young CEO sat in his black leather chair, his azure eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as they locked contact with Jou's.

"Clock's ticking, mutt. Better speed things up or you'll be kissing asphalt sooner than you think."

Jolted into a speedy explanation, Jou began his plea, "Look, Seto, I know you already disagreed to helping me out with my plan, but I came here to beg for you to reconsider."

"And why should I?" Seto's cold words stung Jou's heart like needles, but he had to be strong and firm.

"Because... well, it's..." his eyes began to shake as a small blush flew across his cheeks, "... it's very important to me. I want you to be a part of everything I do. If you won't do this for Yuugi or Yami's sake, then at least do it for me. Please, Seto! This plan means everything to me. My two best friends' happiness is on the line. I don't want to fail them as a friend who can't keep his word. But, more importantly, ... Seto..." --he slowly moved towards the brunette-- "... I need and want you to be by my side, working on this project... together. I love you, Seto Kaiba. So much so that I think my heart'll burst."

When Jou found himself standing in front of the young CEO, he grabbed his head and held him close to his chest. This sudden action caught Seto off guard. His eyes went wide as he blushed a deep crimson.

"Can you not hear it, Seto? My heart... it beats only for you. It races whenever I think of you or smell your cologne. Like right now..." Jou nuzzled his face into Seto's soft, brown hair and inhaled deeply. "Though you're not wearing any today, your scent is unmistakable. I can never get enough of it. I'm in love with you, Seto. You may not feel the same, but right now... that doesn't matter. I'm holding you in my arms and inhaling your glorious scent. That's all that matters to me at this very moment."

"... Katsuya..."

Hearing his name for the first time out of his lover's mouth, Jou jerked himself out of his daze. "Se-Seto? D-Did you just-"

He was cut short by a pair of lips against his own. Jou's eyes went wide and his body trembled, only for a moment or two, from the fact that this was the first time Seto had ever kissed him willingly and with so much passion.

Seto broke contact to whisper a simple, yet heartfelt statement, "I love you, Katsuya." With just those few words said, tears began flowing from Jou's eyes as he lunged at Seto to lock him in a much more passionate kiss than before.

Heat rose, as well as lust. Seto pushed all of his work off the desk with one quick swipe to make room for the panting teen boy he hungered for. He wasted no time as his mouth headed straight for the nape of Jou's neck while his hands fiddled with the buttons of his shirt. Moaning with every nip and lick, Jou wrapped his legs around Seto's torso.

Finally finishing up on the last button, Seto flung Jou's shirt open and began teasing every nerve and sensitive spot on the boy's upper body with his tongue and skilled fingers.

"Aahng... Se... Seto..."

The brunette loved being in control, so seeing and hearing his sweet puppy moan and sweat, not to mention call out his name, was more than he could ever ask for. He dared a little further by slowly undoing Jou's pants. Once that was accomplished, he quickly reached in and grabbed Jou's already erect penis, causing the blond to thrust and arch his back into the air.

"Aahngh!" Katsuya blushed madly at this new contact and became somewhat uneasy, "Uh... Seto... what are you... I mean... um..."

Seto rested his head against Jou's while closing his eyes and speaking softly, "Ssshhhhh... it's alright, Katsuya. I won't do anything to hurt you." He placed his free hand on the panting teen's cheek and caressed it gently. "If it gets to be too much for you, just tell me and I'll stop. Okay?"

Though he was still a little uneasy, Jou smiled as he looked into his lover's beautiful ocean blue orbs. "Okay. I trust you, Seto, and I love you more than anything."

Seto smiled sweetly at his flushed boyfriend and leaned down to kiss his wet forehead, "I love you, too, Katsuya. Ready?"

A nod from the blond sent the brunette to work. He started by gently massaging the shaft, all the while, watching Jou's expressions to make sure he wasn't doing anything harmful.

Jou bucked and moaned with every stroke of Kaiba's skillful hand, "...Ahn... oh god... Se-Seto... more... please... don't stop... angh..."

"I wasn't planning to," Seto purred coolly. "I'm going to make you scream my name as you cum. I'll make you feel top pleasure." With that said, Seto began teasing the tip as pre-cum began flowing out. "You're so wet, puppy. Does this feel good? Do you like it when I touch you here?" Seto asked seductively.

"Angh... aaaahhgnnna... y-yes... more... faster... feels... so good..." Jou's face was completely soaked in sweat with a pretty red hue to compliment it.

Complying with the request, Seto stroked Jou's cock even harder and faster, but kept a teasing finger near the tip for added pleasure. It was becoming more and more clear that Jou was reaching his limit as his bucking became more fierce and his breathing more rapid.

"...Se-Seto... I... I can't... take... it anymore! I'm... gonna... burst! Anngh... ANHGNGH..."

Seto gave one final stroke and flick of the tip, "Say it, Katsuya! Yell it! Scream it! I want to hear the name of the one who makes you feel this orgasmic!"

"...Angghangh... SETO!" With one last thrust of his back, Jou came all over Seto's hand.

Seto removed his hand from the blond's wet pants as Jou collapsed on the desk, panting and heaving. Kaiba licked the tip of one of his fingers, tasting Jou's essence.

Jou looked over at him curiously, "Why did you do _that_?"

"Do what? Oh, you mean lick my cummy finger? Well, I wanted a part of you inside me and since that wasn't accomplished tonight, I figured this was the next best thing. You're pretty tasty, you know?" He slowly stuck one of his other fingers into his mouth, then slowly pulled it out again while sucking. As Jou observed this, he licked his lips in hunger.

Kaiba noticed this and smirked while extending his wet hand to Jou, "You want some?"

Jou moved away a little while giving the CEO a disgusted look, "Eeewww, hell no! I was licking my lips cuz..." he looked away and blushed, "...it turned me on when you did that."

Kaiba grabbed a tissue and wiped his hand clean. He then leaned down, turned Jou's face towards his own, and kissed him sweetly. "I'm glad I turn you on. I don't know what I'd do if you suddenly weren't attracted to me." He ran his fingers through his lover's golden strands as he stared lovingly into his sweet honey brown eyes.

Jou nuzzled closer, "Like that'll ever happen. I'll never stop loving you. Ever. I promise. I love you so much, Seto!"

A rare tear managed to escape from the brunette's eye, "I love you, too, Katsuya."

After they had spent a few more minutes in each other's embrace, Jou suddenly realized how much time had gone by. He quickly sat up, buttoned his shirt, and zipped up his pants.

"Oh, shit, what time is it? Mom is going to kill me!" He looked down at the bottom right hand corner of Seto's computer screen, "...11pm?! I am _so _dead! Sorry, Seto, but I need to get going! See ya!" He gave Seto a quick kiss before racing for the double doors.

"Wait, Katsuya!" Seto yelled after him.

Jou stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, "What for? I need to go!"

Seto walked up to him and spoke seriously, "Look, even though I don't particularly want to, I'll help you with your little plan. Just remember, I'm not doing this for that spiky haired little shrimp or that damn pharaoh. I'm only doing this for you. I love you, Katsuya, and I want to see you happy."

Jou wrapped his arms around his beloved Seto in a tight embrace, "Thank you so much, Seto! You have no idea how much this means to me! I love you so much! Thank you!"

Seto held him even closer, "You're welcome. I'm willing to do anything to see you smile. You're my adorable little puppy, after all."

Jou smiled, "I want to be your puppy forever."

"You will be. I'll make sure of that."

A sweet kiss was exchanged before Jou stormed out of the office and, eventually, the building. He quickly got into his car and sped off into the distance. Even though he was heading to a place where he'd surly get his ear chewed off by his mother, he couldn't help but smile. Tonight, he had fallen deeper in love with Seto and he couldn't wait until he'd wake up later that day to call him and explain the details to his elaborate plan. Today's events looked promising and Jou looked forward to them more than ever now that Seto was to be by his side the whole time.

****

Owari

So, guys, how was my first attempt at a lime? I'm really nervous about how you guys will react. If anything was missing or seemed off, just tell me, okay! I want to give you guys only the very best when it comes to writing decent yaoi fics. Please review! Oh, and again, I'm very sorry for the long wait! You guys can thwack me all you want!


	8. Boys Will Be Boys

A/N: I already know I've lost most of my reviewers, which I'm sure is caused by my sudden slow updating. So, as a result, I'm finishing this fic as a dedication to the people who've stuck with me through thick and thin. You know who you are! I love you guys so much! Oh, and I'd like to make a personal apology to one of my reviewers:

**Shy:** I am terribly sorry for my slow updates! You are the only anonymous reviewer that's consistently reviewed every single chapter and, for that, I am eternally grateful. I hate disappointing wonderful people such as yourself. I'm so sorry! I hope to see your review for this chapter and the following ones. They mean the world to me. One thing that pops into my head every time I see your review is the fact that you aren't registered on this site. I'd like to get to know you more and a profile, plus an email address would be great. I know you're shy, which is too cute for words, but you needn't be around me. I'm very easy to get along with. Sorry this is so long. Again, I'm sorry for my slow pace. Thank you for your wonderful reviews. They always brighten my day.

Summary: My longest chapter yet! Jou gets confronted by his mom, who was waiting for him at home. The next day, Yami and Jou head for Kaiba Corp to carry out the next and final part of the plan. A whole lot of yelling and insults are exchanged between Seto and Otogi as they argue over their personal ideas.

Warning: Nothing really gets accomplished in this chapter. It's focused mainly on Jou's relationship with his mom and humor between the boys. Btw, I know that Jou lives with his dad in the original anime/manga, but I forgot about that while I was writing. So, just for the sake of my fic, Jou is living with his mom. I hope that's okay with everyone.

* * *

His mind was ready to be put to rest, but his body still yearned for more of Seto's heated touch. He was tempted to do a U-turn and head back that building where he had experienced his first act of intimacy, with the one he loved no less. He decided against it, though, knowing full well that extending his time away from home would only make matters worse. As he pulled up his driveway, he noticed that a light was on inside his house. He turned off the engine and rested his body against the seat, preparing himself for whatever might happen once he stepped inside.

_I just hope she doesn't ground me. If she does, I'd have to sneak out in order to fulfill my part in the plan. Dammit! I shouldn't have let myself get carried away._ He sighed as he opened the car door and slowly stepped out. He looked at himself in one of the rear view mirrors and tried to make himself look presentable. He straightened his shirt and combed his hair back into it's original state before walking up to the front door. One last breathe and the door was opened.

"Jounouchi Katsuya!"

The ear piercing yell could be heard from all the way across town and since Jou was only a few feet way, one can imagine the effect it had on his ears.

Rotating his pinkies in both ears, Jou spoke in an annoyed tone, "You know, mom, I ain't exactly on Mars. Was the outburst really necessary? I think I'm officially deaf in both ears."

A fuming woman stomped her way up to her disobedient son and eyed him narrowly, "Don't give me that attitude, young man! Where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick! Did you forget how to tell time? Why didn't you call if you knew you were going to be late?"

"That's the thing, mom! I didn't know I was going to be late. I got so caught up in what I was doing, that time seemed to just pass by. As for where I was, I told you that today I'd be working with Seto on the next part of my plan. I'm sorry I didn't call and I'm sorry that I'm really late coming home. I promise it won't happen again. Okay?"

The agitated and tired woman sighed and scratched the back of her head, "Jeez, what am I going to do with you?"

"Wrap me up in fancy gift wrap, then put me on someone's doorstep, hoping for the best?" Jou joked.

His mom couldn't help but laugh a little at her son's quirky personality, "Get your smart ass over here!" She grabbed him and held him in a tight embrace, which Jou gladly returned. "Just promise me you'll call next time, okay? I was really worried about you. Terrible thoughts kept running through my head as I waited for you to return. I got so scared." Tears fell down her cheeks, only to be absorbed into her son's white T-shirt.

Jou removed his saddened mother from his arms and wiped her tears away with his finger, "Don't cry, mom. I'm sorry for making you worry so much. I know I haven't exactly been the perfect son in the past, but I'm trying hard to change that. One day, you'll be confident enough to say that you're proud of your son. I'll make sure of that."

Ms. Jounouchi just smiled and lightly hit him across the head, "Idiot! I'm already confident enough. I couldn't be prouder, my son. I love you, Katsuya!"

"Love you, too, mom."

She kissed him on the forehead before pointing a serious finger at his face, "But, I'm _not _proud of your actions tonight! You were very irresponsible! Now you march right up to bed, young man, and I don't want to hear any "butts" from you! Got that?"

Jou smirked as he let an amused sigh surface, "Yeah, yeah! I'm going, General Loud Mouth!"

"And no back talking! Another one of those smart ass remarks will get you grounded, mister! Understood?"

"Alright already! Sheesh! Night, mom!" He began his assent up the stairwell.

"Oh, and one more thing, Katsuya..."

"What now?"

She slyly smirked at him, "If you don't want me to find out, next time wear some strong cologne or something. The smell of sex is all over you."

Jou's face went pale, "Wha-"

"Oh, and tomorrow, I want to know when you started dating Seto Kaiba, okay? Nite nite, son!" With that, she scurried into her bedroom with a giggle.

"Mom!" Jou's face was now red from both embarrassment and shock. He ran up to his room, slamming the door behind him. He collapsed on his bed and hid his head under a pillow.

_How the hell did she know? I didn't know sex had a smell. Dammit! Now I'll have to explain everything! But, it'll have to wait until I'm done with the next segment of my plan. That, in of itself, is going to take all day. Plus, Seto will need time to make last minute touch ups. I guess he could do those with Otogi on the last day. I hope they get along._

Deciding that sleeping under his pillow would lead to an uncomfortable morning, he sat up, grabbed his blankets, and curled up for a much needed sleep. It was then he noticed a faint smell. Knowing it was close by, he sniffed his pillow, his sheets, and then his blanket, until he finally had a whiff of his shirt.

His head jerked back, "Oh crap, it's me!" He inhaled the scent once again; only this time, butterflies fluttered in his stomach, his heart skipped a beat, and his face flushed. "... Seto..." His eyes closed in ecstasy as he inhaled the reminiscence of his precious boyfriend. "I love you, Seto. I love you..." he repeated until he fell fast asleep.

****

Next Day

Yami looked over at his blond friend who's face seemed to radiate an undeniably happy glow. "So, I'm guessing Seto agreed to help, right? Is that where we're going right now? To Kaiba's office?"

Jou turned to him, smiled, then looked back at the road. "Yup! I convinced him last night, just like I said I would. It didn't take much, either. You just need to say the right things and show how much you really want something. After that, then there's no problem what-so-e-"

"You got laid last night, didn't you, Jou?" The pharaoh looked at him with a sly grin and raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? I..." Jou's face was a deep crimson as he panicked to find the right words to explain himself "...well, uh... you see, Yami... uh..."

The pharaoh raised a hand, "It's okay, Jou. You don't have to explain yourself. I'm really happy for you. You did it with the one you love and nothing could be more fulfilling than that." His words trailed off the more he reminded himself of his heartbroken aibou. _Will I ever be that close with Yugi?_

Jou noticed how sullen and melancholy Yami had suddenly become, so he decided to come clean, "Yami, Seto and I didn't sleep together."

Ruby eyes grew wide as he quickly looked up at his tall best friend, "Really?"

"Yeah! He just... you know... with the... you know..."

Yami raised a curious eyebrow, "No, sorry Jou, I don't know. Can't you tell me?"

Jou's cheeks became red once more, "Sorry, it's just... a little... embarrassing, you know? Um... he um... did... this..." he made the classic up and down motion with his hand near his pelvic area.

This time, Yami's eyes widened in acknowledgment, "Oh!" He then thought about it for a second, thereby making his face match the hue of his eyes. "...oh..._ that_... well, g-great! I'm glad you guys have become... closer. Uh..." wanting desperately to change the subject, he quickly ran some ideas through his head, "...so, Jou, ... where exactly is the next part of the plan going to be held?"

Relieved at the sudden change in mood and subject, Jou regained his composure as his focus was, once again, on driving. "Well, I'm not too sure. Seto and Otogi have to decide on that."

"Then why do I have to be there? If all of this is going to be taken care of by those two, then I don't see the purpose of me getting in the way. And why did I have to bring my tailored outfit? I don't want to get it wrinkled or dirty."

Jou chuckled at Yami's behavior, "Don't worry your pretty little... I mean, big head. Everything'll be-"

Yami's temper flared, "I do not have a big head! It's my HAIR that's big! Not my HEAD! Sheesh!" He slouched in his seat with his arms crossed. A small pink hue could be seen on his cheeks.

Jou knew Yami would react in a similar manner, but not to that extent. Everyone knew how frightening the pharaoh can be when his temper rears it's ugly head, but all the knowledge in the world can't prepare you for the real thing. He attempted to calm the enraged Egyptian, "Come on, Yami! It was just a joke! A harmless joke! I didn't mean anything by it. Honestly! You know me. Please don't be mad anymore. We're almost there and I don't want any bad vibes when we walk in. Okay?"

Yami glanced over at Jou who was giving him his signature puppy dog eyes. He sighed while rolling his own, "Fine. Just don't comment on my looks anymore, okay? I'm very sensitive when it comes to that."

"Duly noted. Truce?" Jou smiled as he held out his hand. Yami reluctantly shook it, while still trying to keep up his stubborn facade. "Oh, cool, we're here! I'm really looking forward to this. This is the final stage of the plan. Hard to believe, huh? Just a short week ago, this whole thing was only a vision and now it's all coming true. Thanks for letting me do this for you and Yuugi, Yami. It means the world to me." He slowly reached over and embraced Yami.

Jou's kindness always seemed to have an effect on Yami's stubborn act. The pharaoh had a weakness for kind people and never could keep a straight face around them. Katsuya was no exception. The Egyptian's heart melted and he readily embraced the blond teen.

"I'm sorry, Jou. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"That's okay. I know you don't mean it when you say hurtful things out of anger. I'm just glad I won't be the one who has to deal with you 24/7. Poor Yugi. He must be stressed out every single day."

Yami was quick to defend, "HEY! I'm not _that_ difficult to deal with. And you're no ray of sunshine, either!"

Jou laughed as he waved his hands in front of himself, "Okay, okay, Yami! Relax, man! This is what I'm talking about. You blow up at the smallest things. That temper is going to get you into trouble someday."

Realizing his faults, Yami quickly deflated, "Sorry, Jou. I'll try to be more aware of my actions. I need to be a more stable person for Yuugi. I don't want to be someone he'll grow to be ashamed of."

Jou placed a comforting hand on the pharaoh's shoulder, "You won't be. Don't worry so much. Let's just focus on what we need to get done today. Let's go meet the guys. I'm sure they're wondering where we are."

"Okay." As soon as Yami stepped out of Jou's car, his body froze in place and his eyes perked up in curiosity, "Jou, do you hear that?"

Katsuya looked in all directions, wondering what in fact he was listening for. "Hear what?"

Yami raised a finger, "Ssshhhh! Listen..."

Sure enough, faint yelling and smashing could be heard from a distance. Both boys looked up towards the location of the eerie sounds and found that they came from somewhere inside Kaiba Corp.

With just that little piece of info, Jou knew right away what was causing those disturbances. A small smile flew across his face, "Hmph! I knew this was going to happen. I can tell this is not going to be easy."

Yami, clueless as ever, frowned at him. "What? What is it? What's happening? Who's making those sounds? And what's not going to be easy? Come on, Jou, don't leave me in the dark!"

Jou waved his hand at the panicky pharaoh, "Calm down, Yami! Everything's okay... well, for the most part. Those awful sounds you hear are the result of Seto and Otogi not getting along. I'll bet they're about ready to murder each other by now. Poor Honda. He must be going through hell up there. I think we should quickly head up there and lend our assistance before those two find any sharp objects."

After the two raced into the building, and eventually into the elevator, Yami couldn't help but wonder about the situation upstairs. "Hey, Jou, do those two _really _not get along? I mean, I've never seen them interact, so I'm a little lost as to why they'd be at each other's throats."

Jou leaned against the wall of the elevator and stared at the numbers as they went up, one by one. "If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Both of them are hot-headed and don't like to give in. Not to mention the fact that they both are geniuses when it comes to technology. With that in mind, it's no wonder the two can't agree on anything. I'll bet you anything that, right now, they're arguing on who's idea is better. I think we can expect to pull an all nighter considering the predicament we're faced with."

Worry enveloped Yami's crimson orbs, "We can't waste time on petty disagreements, Jou. Need I remind you that there are only two days left before Christmas? If you knew teaming those two up was going to be a problem, then why did you bother?"

"Honestly, I wasn't thinking ahead. I was so excited and anxious about this whole thing, that I didn't think about the minor details or complications that may occur. I also didn't want to leave any of our friends out of the project. I've definitely learned my lesson, though. I'll never team those two up again. Oh, we're here. Be prepared for anything."

As soon as the elevator doors opened on the 9th floor, they were immediately greeted by a screwdriver flying past their heads.

"Your ideas suck! Man, I hate working with you!" Barked Seto.

Jou and Yami stood frozen in place, eyes wide, pupils dilated, with a big sweat drop on their backs of their heads.

"Jou..."

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to live through this?"

"Probably not."

"Do we dare to try and stop them?"

"Well, seeing that we're already here, I guess we have little choice. I'll try to get their attention." Jou put on a salesman smile as he walked into the wrecked room. "Hi, guys! We're here!"

"Jounouchi!" A very distraught and worn out Hiroto came running up to embrace his friend. "Thank god you're here! It's been terrible!" Tears of joy and frustration came streaming out of his brown eyes, "Those two have been ignoring everything I say! They just won't listen! Not even Otogi, and he's my boyfriend! Why are they being so mean? What should I do? Jounouchi, I wanna go home!" He held Katsuya close as he whined and cried like a kid having a temper tantrum.

Jou released himself from Hiroto's kung-fu grip, "Okay, okay, Honda! I get the idea. Go sit somewhere while Yami and I take over. You realize you sound like 5 year old girl, right? Here's a tissue and a lollipop. Go take a time out."

Honda's face fumed, "Shut up, Jounouchi! Oh, and hi Yami. I apologize about Seto and Otogi's behavior. They've been like this all morning."

Yami waved an understanding hand, "It's okay, Honda. It's not your fault they can't get along. Please go rest somewhere. You deserve a break."

Hiroto smiled as he walked off, "Thank you and good luck. You're going to need it. Oh, before I forget, remember to duck whenever you hear yelling. Chances are, something will be sailing past your head soon after."

Yami sweat dropped. "Thanks for the warning." He then turned his gaze towards his blond friend, staring at him in complete annoyance, "Dammit, Jou! This is all your fault! None of this would be happening if you hadn't have paired up those two lunatics. If I end up in the hospital, you're paying the bill."

Jou smiled warily, "I'm sure everything'll be just fine. Let's see if we can't talk them through this ordeal."

Though Yami knew how unrealistic that seemed, he walked over to the fighting pair, none-the-less. Without this part of the plan, he couldn't see the whole thing working out. This was all for Yuugi's sake.

"Dammit, you piss me off!" Seto growled at Otogi while pointing at a blueprint. "If the CG flower petals fell at an angle, it would look stupid and unrealistic!"

Otogi's face burned with frustration, "Unrealistic, my ass! If they fell at an angle, it would give the effect of a breeze. It's more romantic that way, dumb shit! But, I guess, you wouldn't know about that kind of thing considering you're the ice king."

Enraged, Seto grabbed the dice master's shirt and threatened, "Say that again and I'll send you to the morgue!"

With a happy-go-lucky smile on his face, Jou placed a hand on the two anger ridden teens' shoulders. "Okay, you two, that's enough death threats for one day. How about we all relax and get down to some real work?"

"Jou?"

"Katsuya?"

"The one and only!" Jou stated proudly.

"When the hell did you get here?" Seto asked, confused and shocked.

"Well, _we _just got here a few minutes ago. Don't forget, Yami's here, too. And, Seto dear, you can let go of Otogi's shirt now. I'm sure you've wrinkled it to the point it needs some serious ironing."

Realizing he still had a death grip on the raven haired boy's shirt, Seto slowly let go, sighing as he did so. "He started it."

Otogi huffed as he tried flattening his shirt with his hands, "Yeah right! You're the one who's too stubborn to admit that my ideas are far better than yours."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed once more, "What the hell did you just say? Do you really want me to kick your ass that badly?"

This time, it was Yami's turn to intervene, "Please, you two, this has to stop! It's already 2:30 in the afternoon and no progress has been made. There are less than two days left in which to complete this. You two can fight and bicker all you want after this is done. I'm begging you to please get along for the next 30 or so hours. That's my only request."

The bickering duo sighed, "Fine." Then simultaneously pointed at one another, "But that doesn't mean I have to like him!" After hearing an echo from each other, they proceeded to scowl in one another's faces.

Yami smiled at this amusing sight, "Yes, of course. Though, I don't see why the two of you can't get along. You have so much in common."

Otogi immediately put his two cents in, "He thinks he's so much better than I am just because he has a contract with Pegasus and his own business. If it weren't for the fact that I was running a little late for that meeting with Mr. Crawford, I would be sitting tall like this stuck up prick over here."

Kaiba smirked triumphantly, "Oh get over yourself. You're just bitter and jealous. My success obviously intimidates you. How pathetic!"

Once again, Otogi's temper rose, "You wanna run that by me again, shithead?"

Yami intervened, "Guys, please stop acting like a couple of jerks so that we can get some work done."

Irritated as hell, the two high strung teen boys darted off in opposite directions, "Alright, alright already! Jeez!"

Seeing that things were primarily under control, Jou decided that now would be a time to take his leave. He walked up to Yami and put a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, Yami, since things have calmed down a bit around here, I'm gonna head home."

Yami spun around in shock, "What? Why? You can't just leave me here with these two. I'll be massacred by day break!"

"Don't worry, Yami! You have a pretty good handle on things. I would stay, but I promised my mom that I'd set some time aside to talk with her. She found out that I'm dating Seto. She told me last night that she wanted to hear all the details. Since that'll take quite awhile, I figured I'd get it out of the way now so that I can be on time picking you up tonight. Is that cool with you?"

Though Yami had no clue as to how it feels to have your parents discover your sexual preference, he still sympathized with Jou's situation. "Sure, Jou, no problem. I had no idea that you had made other arrangements. Honda and I should be just fine, so go ahead and have a good heart-to-heart talk with your mom. I'll see ya later tonight."

"Thanks, Yami. I'll be back around nine, 'kay? I'll try to make it on time. Don't get yourself killed, okay? See ya!"

Before heading for the elevator, Jou had one last person to bid his farewells. He quietly sneaked behind his unsuspecting lover and quickly grabbed Seto's waist with one arm, while draping the other over his collarbone.

Surprised and annoyed by Jou's sudden action, Seto tried to look back at his perpetrator. "What the hell are y-" Heat rose inside his body as he felt Katsuya's tongue slowly trace a shimmering line from the nape of his neck to his earlobe. He flushed madly and, though he'd never admit to it, he was beginning to enjoy the concept of Jou taking the initiative.

Jou whispered seductively into his ear, "I'm leaving now, sweetie, but I'll be back later tonight to pick up Yami. I really want to continue where we left off last night..." he slowly moved the hand that was around Seto's waist towards his pelvic area, making the CEO quiver with anticipation. "... so once I drop him off at the Game Shop, I'll come right back here. Until then, you'd better be a good boy or else I might get turned off and head straight home. I don't think either of us want that. That's why I know you'll be here when I get back, ready and waiting for my return. This time around, though-" --his hand lightly traced the outline of Seto's dick on his black pants, while the other sneaked it's way into his shirt, feeling the soft flesh-- "-it'll be your turn to receive pleasure. I've got plans for what I want to do to you. Until then, Seto my love, be good."

With a nibble and a lick on Seto's ear, Jou released him from the seductive embrace, waved his goodbyes to everyone else, then headed into the elevator. The guys all stared at Seto in disbelief, flushed from what they just witnessed. Otogi was the first to break the silence.

"Wow, Seto! All along I thought you were more of the type that would 'top' in a relationship, but witnessing what just transpired sure made me think twice."

A deep crimson shade encompassed Seto's face, "Shut up! H-He just... caught me off guard. I'm still the one in control. He'll always be the mutt in this relationship."

Hiroto came walking up from where he was sitting earlier, "That may be, Seto, but you didn't put up much of a fight when he held you like that. On the contrary, from where I was sitting, it seemed like you were enjoying yourself... a lot!" He laughed at the notion.

Kaiba raised a threatening fist, "Are you lookin' to get your ass kicked, dickhead?"

Yet another scene that needed Yami's expertise. "Okay, guys, that's enough! We need to get to work. Time's running out."

Otogi smiled and sighed, "You're right, Yami! We need to hurry this up so Seto has enough time to play "master and puppy" with Jou."

Seto's face flushed once more out of embarrassment and anger, "Would you shut the hell up, dice boy! I am so sick of your mouth!"

Yami snapped, "Hey, hey! We're wasting time here."

All three boys sighed. Otogi walked towards one of the tables that had blueprints on top of it, while Seto made himself comfortable at his desk, where he began working on the CG layout.

Honda consoled the frustrated pharaoh, "Sorry about our behavior, Yami. For the rest of the day, we'll work our butts off on this project. We won't let you down." He gave a thumbs up and a wink.

Yami smirked, "I know you won't. I trust you guys. I just hope this whole thing is completed by tomorrow."

tbc...

****

Owari

Geez, thank Ra I'm done typing that chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I'll try to update sooner for my next chapter. Reviews are very much appreciated! Love you guys! Ja ne!


	9. Exhausting Preparations

A/N: I must apologize to those of you who have reviewed this fic up till now. I have my reasons for stalling the continuation, but I will not get into that. I'm sure you all have forgotten about this fic and that's understandable. I am deeply sorry for the delay and hope the remaining 4 chapters are to your liking. If the need arises, please go back and read it from the beginning to refresh your memory. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! I'm still amazed at how popular this little fic of mine became so many years ago. Whether it retains that is to be seen. Honestly, I'm just glad to see it done.

So, without further adieu, please enjoy the rest of the story. I will be updating the final chapters when I have time. Just so you're aware, there are a total of twelve chapters.

* * *

_8:45 pm _

"Are we almost done?" Yami whined as his arms felt like giving out. "How long does it take you to measure me? Jeez! I feel stupid standing here looking like a towel rack."

Otogi laughed while Seto sneered at the pharaoh coldly, "Oh shut up, Yami! I swear, I would think you'd be a little bit more appreciative considering that we're all wasting our winter break helping your clueless ass. If you had told Yuugi how you felt a LONG time ago, I would be working on my latest invention right now and you wouldn't be standing there looking like that chick from Titanic."

All three boys laughed while Yami gave them death glares. Honda got behind him and held his arms, "You can fly, Rose!"

Yami flung his right arm behind him in an attempt to knock Hiroto off his feet, but failed as it flew over the crouching teen. "Shut up, Honda! And quit dodging my attacks!"

Honda simply smirked, "Oh, so I'm supposed to just let you hit me? Dream on… Rose." He ran off laughing while the enraged Egyptian made chase.

Seto sprung up from his chair and pointed accusingly at Yami, "Get your ass back onto that platform, Yami! We only have 10 minutes to get as much done as we can before Katsuya gets here. Play on your own time, because while you're here taking up my time, I'm the boss. Got that?"

The two teens stopped dead in their tracks. Yami realized how much time was being wasted getting nothing accomplished.

"Sorry, Kaiba. Let's finish this up." He walked back over to the center of the platform and outstretched his arms once more.

Honda walked over to Otogi and held him close, "Sorry, Otogi. I don't mean to be wasting more time."

The raven-haired boy lifted his boyfriend's chin and looked at him softly in the eyes. "It's okay, love. Kaiba and I have wasted a lot more time arguing than you two. So no worries." He closed the gap between them with a gentle kiss.

"Hey, Otogi, if you have time to make out with your idiotic boyfriend, then use it wisely by helping us with this project. I need you to get some measuring tape." Kaiba ordered in a rather irritated tone.

Otogi pulled away from Hiroto to stare at Kaiba queerly, "What the hell for? Your computers should be able to get Yami's exact measurements."

Seto's brow twitched in annoyance, "I know that, you alien eyed freak! I just want to be sure everything is correct. Got a problem with that?"

Otogi sneered, "Whatever you say, tight ass! Where the hell do you keep it?"

"In that filing cabinet, top drawer, fucktard!" Kaiba snapped back.

Otogi walked over to said location, opened the top drawer, and pulled out a rather large measuring devise. "You mean this monstrosity?" He held it up for Seto to see.

The brunette clapped his hands mockingly, "Good job, Sherlock! I was beginning to question if you even knew what one looked like."

Arms flailed aimlessly in every direction as the raven-haired teen became exceedingly angry, "Shut the fuck up, asshole! I know what measuring tape looks like, dammit! I've just never seen one _this _big."

The young CEO crossed his arms, "It's expensive, so quit waving your arms about like an infant. You might drop it, thereby giving me just cause to shove my foot up your ass. It's worth more than your useless life, so treat it like a crown jewel. Now get over there and measure away, dice boy." He pointed in Yami's direction with authority.

Otogi just snorted as he walked over to the impatient pharaoh, "Don't order me around! I know what I have to do."

As soon as all the measurements were tested and completed, everyone was ready to call it a night. Ironically, Jou showed up a mere minute after everything was cleaned and stashed away. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he ran at full speed towards Seto, latching on to him with so much force it knocked him to the floor.

"Seto, my love! Oh how I've missed you!" His tone and personality changed in a matter of seconds as he seductively purred into Kaiba's ear, "So, have you been a good boy tonight? Or do I have to head straight home?" He nipped and licked at the brunette's neck teasingly, causing the young CEO to gasp slightly.

In a somewhat labored voice, Kaiba responded, "I-I've been… good…"

Jou cooed curiously, "Oh really? Then you wouldn't mind if I asked everyone else their opinions, would you?" He got off the flustered ice king to address his friends.

Seto sat up with a jolt to protest. His azure eyes were now wide in worry and desperation. "Wait, Katsuya! You needn't go to that extent. Trust me. I've been exceptionally good today." He pleaded for his lover to believe him, only to receive a meek smile in return.

"That's why I can't trust your word, Seto. Right now, you'd say anything to get into my pants… or, to be more precise, letting me get into yours. I know you're more than anxious to see what I have in store for you. I am, too, but I can't go back on my word. I specifically said that I wouldn't go through with it if you were your usual cold self to everyone and I'm sticking to it."

He turned his attention to his friends who were eavesdropping on the conversation, "So, guys, was Seto being a good boy tonight?"

While Otogi and Honda frowned and shook their heads, Yami was particularly quiet and unresponsive. He stood with his head slightly lowered, eyes shadowed by his long blonde bangs.

Jou, who was perplexed at this odd response from his friend, tried to better understand why Yami looked the way he did. "Hey, Yami, what's wrong? Was Seto treating you bad? Is that why you look so upset?" He looked back at the perpetrator with a disappointed glare. Seto just stood, stunned by the whole scenario. "Seto, I thought I made it perfectly clear that-"

"He was…" Yami spoke up in a small deep voice. He then lifted his head to reveal soft gleaming crimson eyes and a warm smile. "… He was the perfect gentleman."

Everyone, except Seto, did a classic fall to the floor. Seto simply stared at Yami perplexed and in shock. Jou shot up and stomped over to the happy Egyptian.

"Is that all you have to say after looking like you were about to kill someone? You scared the crap outta me, man!"

Yami sheepishly grinned while scratching his cheek, "Sorry about that. Guess I was overly dramatic, huh? Hehe!"

Katsuya sighed in defeat, "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, Mr. Happy, were you serious about Seto being a perfect gentleman? I mean, I've never thought such words could describe him."

Kaiba sneered, "Hey, I resent that remark."

Jounouchi turned to him and smirked, "Sorry, Seto, but it's true. You hardly ever act like anything close to being described as a gentleman, even around me."

Seto opened his mouth to retort, but withdrew knowing he couldn't argue against facts; no matter how tempted he was to try.

Yami placed a hand on Katsuya's shoulder, "Trust me, Jou, Kaiba was a great help today. When I said that he was a perfect gentleman, I meant he was playing the part as much as he possibly could. I think he just lacks a certain charisma, you know?"

Seto was becoming more and more irritated with where this conversation was going, "Hello! I'm still in the room, ya know! If you wanna bad mouth me, at least have the decency to do it behind my back."

A sweat drop could be seen on everyone's head after they heard that last sentence. They wondered if Seto had any idea as to what "decency" meant.

Yami decided that bringing the main subject back into play was a good idea. "Anyway, my point is that Kaiba was being exceptionally good this afternoon. So, Jou, why don't you and Kaiba have a great time tonight, alright?" He grinning slyly and winked.

Both Seto and Jou blushed, for they suddenly remembered what they had agreed upon for the upcoming evening. Now, filled with a desire to fulfill said agreement, Katsuya grabbed Yami by the arm and led him forcefully towards the elevator.

"Well, Yami, if you say Seto was behaving himself, then it must be true. Oh, gee, look at the time! We'd better get you home before Yuugi begins to worry. See you later, Honda, Otogi! Seto, dear, I'll be back in a little while. Please wait for me. Bye!"

Hiroto and Otogi yelled after Jou in discontent, "Hey, Jounouchi! We both said Kaiba was being a dick! It's two against one! Don't our opinions matter?"

Seto and Katsuya glared at the other two and, in unison, shouted, "NO!"

The elevator doors soon closed, leaving the other three to reflect on what just transpired.

Otogi crossed his arms, "Now, is it just me, or did that seem completely unfair? Jou just brushed us off like dust on his jacket."

Honda nodded in agreement, "I'm with you there. That was totally rude on his part. I'm gonna have a serious talk with him later."

"Hey morons!" Kaiba spat. Both boys turned around to see the tired CEO staring at them in complete annoyance. "If you two haven't noticed, we're done for the day. I advise you both to get off the premises before I have security do the job for you."

Hiroto, though used to Seto's cocky attitude, still got irritated whenever he had to bear witness to it more than a few times a day. "We were only standing here an extra minute after Jounouchi left. We weren't planning on staying here, ya know?"

Seto's expression hadn't changed one bit as his azure eyes continued to stare the two boys down. "And within that minute, you two could've been taking your sorry asses out of my building. The ironic part is that you two eyesores are still here."

Otogi had heard enough. "Look, Seto, just because you want to screw Jou's brains out tonight does not mean you can treat us like street trash. Do you honestly think you're the only one who has a passionate night ahead of him? I've been working my ass off on coming up with new positions in which to make love to Hiroto. Do you have any-" he glanced over at Honda who had been tugging at his sleeve for quite some time. "What?"

His boyfriend was pointing apprehensively in Kaiba's direction. Upon returning his heated gaze back on the CEO, he realized what his eyes had failed to show him during his episode of rage. He took careful notice of Seto's twitching eyebrow and how his index finger was hovering dangerously close to the security button.

Hiroto waved his hands frantically in the air, "There's no need for that, Kaiba! We're leaving now." He grabbed Otogi's hand and quickly ran to the elevator.

After he was sure they were gone, Kaiba fell back into his chair with a heavy sigh. "Finally! I thought they'd never leave. Now to wait for the mutt." A grin of anticipation surfaced. Thoughts of oncoming events flew through his mind, causing him to slowly drift to sleep.

**In Jou's Car**

"You know, Yami, you really didn't have to say those things for my sake. If Seto was being a total ass, you should have been honest." Jou smirked at the worn out pharaoh.

A half-closed crimson orb looked in the blonde's direction. "I was being honest. If Kaiba didn't act like his normal bitchy self, it would be kinda weird, ya know? He was very helpful and authoritative. If it weren't for him ordering us around, nothing would've gotten done. See my point?" That same lazy eye managed a small wink.

Katsuya thought about what Yami said and realized how odd it would be if Seto was any less of a jerk than usual. He giggled half-heartedly, "Yeah, I got ya. Thanks Yami. But, putting aside Seto's usual self, it's a real wonder seeing his softer side." He recalled the previous night in which Seto was uncharacteristically sweet to him. He smiled softly and felt his heart flutter.

Yami raised a curious eyebrow. _Kaiba's soft side?_ He pondered this notion. He knew that Seto had a big heart, especially when it came to Mokuba, but for Jou to get all flustered like that must mean he witnessed some other side to the ice king. Yami shuddered a little at the thought of Kaiba acting all mushy and lovey-dovey.

Seeing that his blond friend wasn't paying attention to the road, he put his hand on the dazed boy's arm and shook it a little. "Hey, Jou. Jou…" Still no response. He sighed knowing that there was only one way to get him to come to his senses. He positioned his mouth right next to Jou's ear and yelled. "Hey numbnuts, the light is green!"

Auburn eyes went wide and Jou gasped as he was suddenly brought back to reality. In a state of panic, he quickly slammed down on the gas pedal. After a few moments, he regained his composure, took a deep breath, and then pulled over. He glanced over at Yami who was hanging on to his seat for dear life looking petrified.

He put an apologetic hand on his friend's shoulder, which caused Yami to jump in his seat a bit. "Sorry I scared you. I know it was dangerous of me to space out like that while driving, but next time, don't yell at me to get my attention, okay? When I freak out, rational thoughts become obsolete for a short period of time. But, again, I'm sorry for scaring you."

Upon releasing his vice grip on his seat, Yami took a deep breath and attempted a meek smile. "Apology accepted. I'm sorry, too, for yelling in your ear. Just remind me to never get anymore rides from you."

Jou smirked. "Sure thing." He looked outside and took note of the familiar surroundings. "Well, thanks to my temporary impulse to drive faster, we've now made it to your home in less time than expected." He chuckled a bit.

Yami fell back into his seat and breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank Ra! With all that's happened today, I'm ready to call it a night." The exhausted pharaoh got out of Jou's car and said his farewells. "I'll see you tomorrow… oh, wait, I almost forgot that tomorrow I have to spend time with Yuugi while you guys work on the finishing touches. I hope he's willing to talk. If he's still mad at me, there's a slim to none chance I can get him to come to Kaiba Corp. on Christmas." Crimson eyes shook slightly as worry and fear once again became the dominant emotions.

Jou gently cupped his hand around the one the pharaoh was resting on the passenger door. "It's gonna be okay. Trust me. I'm sure he's forgiven you by now. Yuugi's not the type to hold grudges. He loves you very much, Yami."

Darkness fell over the pharaoh's eyes as he moved his hand away from Jou's. "He may love me, Jou, but it's not the same as the love I have for him. I'm taking a big risk just going through with this whole selfish plan of mine. But… in a way… it's all I can do. I can only cling to this false hope that the one I love could possibly share the same feelings. I'm really setting myself up for heartbreak, aren't I?"

"Not at all." Jou's unexpected response forced Yami's face to lift, revealing bright red shimmering eyes that shook with a layer of crystal tears. "What you are doing is very brave, not to mention very romantic. I believe that you will receive the answer you are so desperately seeking. I may not be the brightest crayon in the box, but I can tell when two people love each other. Have faith, my friend. It'll all work out." He smiled sweetly at the unnerved Egyptian.

A defeated sigh and meek smile were the only responses the pharaoh could muster. "Thanks, Jou, but… I'm not the type of person that puts his faith into something so unrealistic. You know… this whole time, no matter how pessimistic I pretended to be, doubt and fear were my dominant feelings. And, for some reason, those very feelings are stronger now, as I stand here, than they were when we first planned this whole thing. I'm really frightened, Jou. Am I doing the right thing?" Tears finally found their way down his flushed cheeks.

Katsuya, almost forcefully, grabbed Yami's hand again and spoke sternly. " Look, Yami, this whole plan will not go to waste. I _know_ Yuugi. I can guarantee he's forgiven you. He may act stubborn, but his heart is always in the right place. Come on, Yami, snap out of this depression. It'll get you nowhere. Okay?"

Though still inwardly doubtful, Jou's unyielding confidence somehow gave Yami a sense of comfort. "Thanks, Jou. You always know what to say to cheer me up. I'll try to be more confident about this whole situation. I just hope Yuugi's willing to listen to what I have to say tomorrow."

Katsuya playfully poked the tip of Yami's nose. "Dork! Don't think too much about it. He'll listen to anything you have to say. Need I repeat the fact that he loves you? Just relax and take things slowly. You should get plenty of rest tonight. 'Night, Yami! Good luck tomorrow." The smiling blond waved his final farewell before driving off.

The Egyptian happily waved in return until the car was out of sight. He bit his bottom lip as he slowly made his way to the front door of the Kame Shop. The keys rattled as the knob turned, causing the hinges to creak as the door was slowly opened. His eyes squinted when he heard the horrid noise, for he did not want to wake anybody. He quietly tiptoed past the threshold and slowly closed the creaky door behind him.

"Another late night with Jounouchi?"

Ruby eyes widened in shock when he heard the small familiar voice pierce the haunting silence of the pitch-black room. He slowly turned to see a faint figure standing by the foot of the stairwell. Even though he could barely see, he could feel the knife stabbing glare his little aibou was bestowing him. As another night of deceit and lies lay before him, the physically and mentally drained pharaoh walked over to the small figure before him.

Irritated at the lack of response, Yuugi raised his voice. "Answer me, dammit! I'm sick and tired of you ignoring me! I want answers and I want them NOW!" In an attempt to prevent his tired dark half from escaping to his bedroom, he positioned himself in front of the staircase and outstretched his arms. "I won't let you go to your room until you answer my questions. So let's have it. Why have you been ignoring me this past week? And why have you suddenly been hanging out with Jounouchi more than usual? Have I done something to upset you? Are you-"

It was now or never. Yami had to clear things up with Yuugi tonight or he could kiss his dream Christmas goodbye. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, he could see his enraged aibou on the first step of the stairwell, glaring down at him as if he was some kind of criminal. He placed a tired hand on Yuugi's shoulder and spoke softly. "Yuugi…"

"Oh, so you're _finally _going to talk to me? It's about damn time!" His words stung Yami's heart like needles. In the back of his mind, he wondered if anything he had to say would make the slightest difference in how his beloved felt about him.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" His words came out strained and doubtful.

Upon hearing something so unexpected, Yuugi suddenly found himself at a loss for words. "Uh… am I doing anything? Why?"

"Because I want to answer your questions and explain, to the best of my ability, what's been going on these past few days. I may not be able to tell you everything, but I promise to tell you all that I can. Is that okay with you, aibou?" He wanted to cry, but he was far too tired and emotionally distraught for such an emotion. All he wanted was to walk up to his room and collapse on his soft bed. He hated leaving Yuugi in the dark another night, but if the little one agreed to tomorrow's arrangements, he'd be somewhat satisfied.

Yuugi could see and sense that Yami was exhausted from whatever activities he encountered earlier that day with Jou. He cringed again at the thought of his best friend and secret crush becoming anything other than friends. He took a deep breath before lowering his arms. "Sure, we can talk tomorrow. I can see that you're pretty tired, so you'd better get some rest. I have a lot of questions, so I hope you'll be prepared to answer every one of them. Good night."

The little disgruntled teen walked up the creaky stairwell and into his room, where he mentally noted all of the questions he'd be asking his darker half on their outing tomorrow.

The ancient pharaoh wasn't too far behind as he slowly made his way to his room where he threw himself on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

**TBC**


	10. Confession

You are my sunshine

_My only sunshine_

_You make me ha-_

BAM! Yuugi slammed the snooze button with his fist as hard as he could. After taking a deep breath, he stared blankly at the pale ceiling.

_Today is the day… the day in which Yami will tell me everything. _Yuugi contemplated to himself about how the day's events might play out. _Whatever his answers are, I hope I'll be able to handle them. I'm so nervous and uncertain. But I need to know what he's been doing with Jou this whole time. _He squinted as his stomach twisted into millions of knots at the thought of anything serious occurring between the two people that meant the most to him.

He slowly got himself out of bed, dressed in casual attire, and then went about his daily rituals. After he was done, he walked up to the shut door that led to Yami's room, took a deep breath, and prayed, "Oh Ra, give me strength." He slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Sure enough, the pharaoh was still fast asleep. He sighed in annoyance before walking over to the blinds. Normally, he wouldn't hesitate in pouncing on Yami in order to wake him… but today was different. He wasn't feeling the least bit playful. He was still upset and wanted answers.

In one quick motion, the blinds flew open; causing the sun rays to completely envelope the room. Yami groaned as he winced his eyes. He quickly covered his eyes with his arm before pulling the blanket completely over his head.

Yuugi stood in the sunlight staring blankly at his half-awake aibou. "It's time to get up, Yami. I want to get an early start on our conversation. I will be waiting in the living room. Come down when you're ready." That said, Yuugi casually exited the room without so much as second glance in the Egyptian's direction.

Yami yanked the blankets off of him and just stared into nothingness. This was the day he was looking forward to, but also dreaded. He was frightened beyond all measure. He didn't know what to expect and that was probably the scariest part. The only clear thing on his mind was his determination to clear the air with his aibou. He needed to come clear about his late nights with Katsuya. He was certain Yuugi had the wrong impressions about it. Who wouldn't?

He sat up, stretched, and then got ready for the day. Once finished, he cautiously made his way down the flight of stairs leading to the living room, where his lighter half was waiting patiently on the couch. The taller boy took one last deep breath before slowly walking over to make his presence known. As he sat down on the couch, he made sure to put a wide gap between himself and the angry little duelist. No sense in overstepping any boundaries at this point in time.

A few minutes of uncomfortable silence passed over them – a sign that Yami took as a signal to begin the anticipated confrontation. Softly, he inquired, "Hey… Yuugi…?

Still not willing to look at his dark half, Yuugi replied bluntly, "Hmm?"

Yami's fingers fumbled in his lap showing how nervous he really was. "Can we go somewhere else to talk? I mean… it's just that I want to discuss this with you in a comfortable atmosphere. And-"

"And my house isn't comfortable enough for you?" Yuugi bitterly completed Yami's sentence. "Would you rather be over at Jou's house?"

Ouch! Though he knew he half-deserved that remark, Yami still wasn't about to let these misunderstandings continue.

"Okay, that's it!" He quickly stood up, grabbed Yuugi's wrist, forcefully brought him to his feet and dragged him out the front door.

Shocked and upset with the pharaoh's actions, the younger boy tried to break free. "What the hell are you doing, Yami? Let me go! Where the fuck are you taking me?" Yami didn't respond immediately, which infuriated him even more. "Are you gonna ignore more of my questions? Why won't you answer me? You're hurting my wrist, dammit!"

With his free hand, Yuugi tried in vain to pry his captive wrist out of Yami's tight grip. This only caused the taller boy to tighten his grip, causing Yuugi to wince in pain.

"Yuugi, quit struggling." Yami's voice was stern and brash as his focus remained on the destination he had in mind. "I'm merely taking you to a place where we can talk in private. We need to clear up these misunderstandings. I know this might be a lot to ask of you right now, but… please, have a little faith in me."

Yuugi stopped struggling and stubbornly followed behind his dark half. He fixed his eyes on the cement sidewalk as they journeyed onward. He silently cursed at, not only his aibou, but himself, as well. _Why did I agree to talk to him? I know I won't like what I'm gonna hear, so why am I willingly walking to a place where I'd inevitably feel more pain? I'm such an idiot… _he sighed as he continued to mentally kick himself.

No more than five minutes later did Yami stop abruptly, causing Yuugi to bump slightly into his back. The little duelist looked puzzled as he stared up at a sign that read 'Lilly's Famous Burgers and Sandwiches.' "Um… what are we doing here of all places?"

The taller boys' expression didn't change as he stared blankly forward. "We're going to talk. I figured we could get breakfast out of the way while we're at it. Plus, an empty stomach can impair a person's rational. I want us both to be thinking clearly while we're discussing something so important. Now, what would you like to have?"

When he didn't get a response, he added, "Don't worry. It's my treat. You don't have to pay for anything."

Yuugi simply stared at Yami queerly. "That's not what I'm curious about. Why did you bring me to a place where we'd have to spend money on breakfast? We could have eaten at my house and it would have been a lot more private. Explain why you wanted to come here so badly."

Yami closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Yuugi… if we were in the privacy of your home, there would be a much higher chance of our conversation turning into a yelling match. If we were in public, it would be less likely that we would raise our voices out of fear of drawing unwanted attention. Now, if all of that makes sense to you, then please tell me what you would like to eat."

Yuugi hated to admit it, but the pharaoh was making sense. He glanced up at the menu and made his decision, "I guess I'll have a fruit bowl."

"As you wish." Yami released Yuugi's wrist, then made his way to the line of people waiting to order a meal. Since this was an outdoor eating establishment, the few people who were actually there were shivering in the cold morning air. Since it was winter, mornings were brutal as harsh, nippy winds stung the faces of whoever stood in its path. It's a good thing both teen boys remembered to bundle up well.

Yuugi's breath looked like cigarette smoke as his little body shivered while he searched the area for a table they both could sit at. Snow hadn't blanketed the city of Domino yet, but forecasters predicted a white Christmas. Once a table was found, the little frozen duelist sat and rocked back and forth in his seat to keep his blood flowing. His shoulders made contact with his red ears as he hunched over, waiting patiently for his dark half to return with breakfast. _Damn, maybe I should have asked for hot cocoa, too._

Their mind link was still as strong as it was before. Not a moment after Yuugi had mentally wished for a warm beverage did Yami return with cocoa and food in-hand. Yuugi couldn't help but smile a little as he accepted the small meal.

Yami carefully explained everything that had been going on over the past week, not forgetting to leave out the all-important plan. Yuugi listened intently and when the pharaoh was done, he took a moment to absorb it all before asking questions.

"So, let me get this straight. You've been staying out with Jounouchi till night fall because you two have been working with Seto on one of his newest inventions?"

"That's correct." Yami nodded.

Yuugi intertwined his fingers as he rested his arms on the table. "And you've also been working with Otogi and Honda on this project, as well?"

"Yes."

"Okay, two things still aren't clear to me." Yuugi held up one digit for every point he made. "One, how did you manage to get Otogi and Kaibe to work together without bloodshed? And, two, why didn't you guys ask for my help? It's pretty obvious you all didn't want me to know about this project and I'd like to know why."

Yami shrugged as he poked at a slice of watermelon. "Ask Seto. It's his project, so he decided on whom he wanted help from. I asked Jou if you could be involved, but he said a lot of heavy lifting would be involved and he didn't want you getting hurt."

Yuugi's face fumed as he couldn't help but feel a tad insulted. "What's that supposed to mean? I don't have to lift anything to be of some use. Seto could have told me to file documents or even hand out snacks, for pete's sake. I am so gonna give him a piece of my mind later."

Yami couldn't help but snicker at how cute the little duelist was acting. "Don't be so hard on him, aibou. Jou's intentions are always noble and heartfelt. You know that better than I do."

Yuugi sighed and shoved a semi-frozen grave into his mouth. "I know, I know. I just wish he had asked me first before jumping to conclusions. I hate being left out."

Yami smiled sweetly, "Yes, I know. Jou has been focusing entirely on this project, so he's had little time to think about anything else."

Violet eyes looked up inquiringly, "By the way, what is this new invention Kaiba's working on? Is it a new duel disk?"

Yami shook his head. "No. Actually, it's a new type of platform. The details Seto gave were hazy, but basically it's a sort of virtual reality simulator."

Yuugi's excitement could not be contained as he inquired further with a big smile on his face. "Really? The sounds so cool! When is it gonna be completed? I wanna see it."

Yami laughed at his aibou's enthusiasm. "He promised to have it done by Christmas. In fact, he has invited you to come see the final product on that very day."

Though he was still head-to-toe freezing, Yuugi managed to bounce up and down in his seat, excitement beaming from every pore in his tiny body. "Are you serious? Wow! That's so awesome! I can't wait! Is he gonna let us know when to come down?"

Yami took another bite of fruit. "That's already been arranged. He said he wanted us to come down first thing in the morning."

Yuugi's mood quickly changed as his body slouched into his chair. "First thing on Christmas morning? But… what about opening gifts with you and grandpa? I wouldn't miss that for all of Kaiba's inventions."

The Egyptian prince placed his hand on Yuugi's. "I never said we had to miss that. We can go after we finish opening gifts."

Yuugi blushed at Yami's tender touch, but smiled to try and hide it. "Really? Thank you, Yami." He flipped his hand over to hold Yami's. They both shared a few moments in each other's eyes before Yami realized what was happening. He pulled away rather abruptly and blushed deep crimson.

"Uh… well… I also need to tell you that Seto wants everyone in formal wear at the unveiling." The pharaoh muttered.

Yuugi's mouth fell agape, " Formal wear? But, I don't have anything like that. The last time I wore a tux was at my aunt's funeral five years ago. I doubt it would fit me now."

Yami giggled, "Do you really think you've grown that much in five years?"

The little teen's face flushed furiously in embarrassment. "Yami! Quit being such a bully. I get that from everyone else and I don't wanna hear it from you."

Yami laughed as he got up from his seat and made his way over to where the fuming little duel master was sitting. He stood behind him and wrapped his thin arms around Yuugi's little upper body. Yuugi felt as if his heart would burst from his chest.

Yami spoke softly, "I'm sorry, aibou. I couldn't help myself. I meant no harm." He positioned his mouth right next to Yuugi's ear and whispered, "Do you forgive me, Yuugi?" He made sure to blow ever so slightly into his little ear.

A chill went down Yuugi's small spine, causing him to shiver all over. He blushed madly, so he lowered his head as far down as he could to hide it.

"O-Of course, I… forgive you." He quickly shooed Yami away with his hands. "D-Dummy, get away from my ear. It tickles when your breath blows over it." Yami chuckled as he made his way back to his seat. He wanted to tease his little aibou more, but didn't want to push his luck. Things were going very well – more so than he expected – and he wanted the remainder of the day to continue in such a fashion. Once seated, he put his elbow on the table, supported his head in his hand, and smiled sweetly at his blushing lighter half.

"You know, you really are the cutest thing on this planet," Yami stated bluntly.

Yuugi felt as if his ears would spout smoke since his face glowed an even brighter shade of red. His shoulders reached his ears and he cowered his body as low as possible to hide his embarrassment. He spoke timidly while trying to act stern at the same time. "Stop it, Yami. You're embarrassing me…"

"That's what makes you so cute, aibou." The Egyptian's face radiated his immense joy. He lavished in teasing his beloved and always became exceedingly giddy whenever he got these kinds of reactions. His smile was so big; it almost looked painful to hold in place.

Yuugi's heart raced and butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He couldn't take anymore of Yami's teasing. He never knew how to react to it. He wanted to flee from the current situation, so he jolted into the first thing that came to mind.

"Ah, that's right!" He stood up in one swift movement and fidgeted in a panicked state. "G-Grandpa wanted me to help him run the shop today. It's Christmas Eve and we always get swamped with customers doing last minute gift shopping. It's almost…" he looked at his watch, "… eleven AM. Come on, Yami!" He turned around and sped off in the opposite direction towards the Kame Game Shop.

Yami stood up and extended a hand as he called out to the flustered boy. "Wait, Yuugi! I…" The young teen was already too far away to hear him. The distraught pharaoh lowered his arm and sighed deeply. "Oh well. As long as he has forgiven me, everything is fine." He started racing after his quick little partner; all the while reassuring himself of future events. "It's a good thing he's excited about Seto's "new invention." Now I know he'll definitely show up tomorrow. The gods must love me right now. Everything is going so well. I hope it stays that way."


	11. Overwhelming Devotion

WARNING: This chapter is dedicated entirely to Jounouchi and Seto finally having sex. And as such, it's very explicit and graphic. If any of this irks you, please do not read this chapter. You have been warned!

* * *

Azure eyes slowly opened, but only made it halfway before Seto rubbed them fervently to erase his drowsiness. He lifted his head slightly, but stopped as pain shot through his neck. He grabbed the source of his pain and cursed to himself. "What the…? Why the hell does my neck hurt so damn much?"

Upon further inspection, it became clear that he had accidentally dozed off on his desk. He also noted the suspicious black blanket draped over his back. He pulled it in front of him and examined it as if it held some hidden meaning. His brows furrowed in puzzlement as he re-traced his steps from yesterday. When the hell did he find the time to fall asleep during all the mayhem? He extended a digit for every event he remembered.

"Let's see… first, I drove to my office at 9 AM… then, dice boy arrived at 10 AM with his good-for-nothing boyfriend, Honda… we argued for hours about our ideas for Yami's stupid project… then the dumb pharaoh showed up with the mutt a little later to-" His eyes widened while his heart stopped cold in his chest. "Oh shit! Katsuya! He and I were supposed to…" His heart beat a little faster in response to the memory of the promise he made with his lover. He stood up hastily and declared, "I've got to find him." He grabbed his coat and was about to race out of the office, but something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He saw something laying on one of his many office couches covered by a black blanket. Curiosity overtaking his actions, he walked over to it and noticed that the blanket was moving in sync with the slow breathing of whatever it was covering.

Kaiba slowly removed the top portion of the blanket to reveal a very content blond teen boy sleeping soundly. Messy bangs covered most of Jounouchi's face, making it hard to see his striking features underneath. Seto could hardly believe his pup was even there. _I wonder how long he's been sleeping here? _He thought to himself as he gently moved Katsuya's golden locks away from his boyfriend's handsome face. He couldn't help but smile as he softly caressed the boy's soft cheek. Still standing, he leaned over Jou's body, careful not rouse him from his slumber, and kissed him lightly on the forehead. He then leaned his own forehead on his lover's and whispered, "I love you, ya stinkin' mutt." He quietly laughed through his nose as he once again remembered how he fell in love with the very person he used to despise. He lifted his head, looked at the teen's peaceful countenance, and then cupped his precious face in his hands. He caressed both cheeks with his thumbs as he spoke softly.

"How did you do it, mutt? How did a goofball like you manage to melt a heart that's been cold and distant for so long? I still don't understand and probably never will. But I guess none of that really matters. You stole my heart and I never want it back. No one has ever gotten that close, and I'm glad you were the first. You've taught me how to smile and laugh again. Thank you. Damn… it scares me how much I love you. It's overwhelming, Katsuya…" He leaned in and kissed his lover's soft lips tenderly. Not a moment later did he get the shock of the morning when his kiss was being… reciprocated?

Embarrassed by the situation, Seto's eyes went wide as he tried to break free from the kiss, but Jou wouldn't allow it. The once sleeping teen grabbed his boyfriend's head tightly and pulled him into an even deeper kiss. He playfully licked Kaiba's warm lips as a way of asking for entry. Loving this wonderful wake up call, Seto eased up and allowed Katsuya to dominate his mouth with his skillful tongue.

Feeling his legs begin to stiffen from standing in one spot for too long, Seto gently positioned himself on top of Jounouchi. The blond moaned slightly when he felt the brunette's hard-on rub against his own through the thin layers of fabric in between. His legs gripped and rubbed Seto's hips, silently welcoming him to proceed further. He hungered for his master to dominate him, but he was still too shy to verbally ask for such things, so he settled for physically conveying his desires. He licked the young CEO whenever the opportunity presented itself, which usually occurred between kisses. He whined and moaned as he became more and more anxious.

Quick to realize how desperate his lover had become, he lifted his head to stare amusingly at Jou's glistening features. He smiled enticingly as he watched his pup pant. His glossy eyes were filled with such a heated lust and Kaiba couldn't help but feel even more turned on.

"My oh my… look at you, Katsuya. You're _really _in the mood, aren't you?" He cooed seductively.

Jou nodded without hesitation and spoke with bated breath, "Yes… I _really _want you right now… badly. I'm so hot for you, Seto. What you said earlier when you thought I was asleep really touched my heart. I want to become one with you, Seto Kaiba." With his right hand, he gently cupped his lover's cheek, while the other reached down and grabbed the CEO's penis. He stared deeply into Seto's eyes as he licked his lips seductively. He did not want to beat around the bush with his first time. No foreplay… no lovemaking… He wanted it raw, hard, and wild.

Seto was taken aback by all of this. He had never seen Jou this eager for anything before, much less sex. He had never witnessed such raw passion in his life and he was more than a little aroused by it. To put his feelings bluntly, he had never felt this excited about anything… ever. He licked his lips, and then dove into Jou's mouth with even more passion than before. Both boys quickly stripped their shirts off, which Seto took full advantage of by sending his tongue on a quest all over his lover's upper body.

"Katsuya… Katsuya…" Seto kept repeating lustfully as his tongue ventured on; his hands kept busy by undoing and removing Jou's pants.

"Aaahhh… Seto… nnnghn… more… more… that feels… so good… mmmnngh…" Jou moaned while his hands tussled his lover's soft brown hair, urging him on. His body writhed and his dick quivered in anticipation. He could barely handle all of the emotions coursing through his entire being. Blood flew through his veins as fast as his heart could pump it. Though his head would occasionally fly back in ecstasy, he enjoyed watching Seto go down on him more than he had imagined. It turned him on like nothing else could.

Along with his boxers, Seto ripped off Jounouchi's pants in one swift motion. He loomed over his beautiful boyfriend, starring in awe at his perfect physique. _He looks so adorable like that. _Kaiba tenderly thought to himself as a smile appeared on his flushed face. "You are so beautiful, Katsuya."

Honey brown eyes shook as Jou's cherry red face looked away from the loving gaze of his significant other. "T-That's… not true. I-" He tried to disagree further, but stopped as soon as he noticed Seto's face was mere inches from his own.

"You _are _beautiful, my adorable puppy." He caressed his cheek softly as he stared longingly into his lover's trembling eyes. "You are the most beautiful th-mnhg…" He was cut short by Jou's hot lips being forcefully pushed onto his. His kisses were powerful and spoke volumes about their owner's desires.

"Just… shut up!" Jou gasped and sighed in between kisses. "Shut up and fuck me already! I want you so badly, Seto! You're driving me crazy!" A thin line of saliva fell from his mouth and perspiration ran down his face like raindrops.

Seto pulled away from their lust filled kissing to fulfill his lover's wishes. "Anything you say, Katsuya. Your wish is my command."

Since he didn't have any lube on hand, he settled for his own saliva. He licked his index and middle finger until he was satisfied they were wet enough, and then slowly inserted them into Jou's tight back entrance.

"Aaaahhhh!" Katsuya immediately arched his back when he felt Seto's moist fingers inside him. It was such a foreign feeling to him and he didn't know exactly how to respond.

Seto gently pushed him back down and held his hips as best he could with his free arm. He spoke soothingly as he walked his lover through the process. "Relax, Kastuya. Just relax. I won't harm you. I know this is your first time, so I'll be especially gentle. I'm gonna start moving my fingers now. Ready?"

Jou gritted his teeth and squinted his eyes in preparation. "Y-Yes…"

Seto raised his eyebrows sympathetically and decided on a different approach. "Hey, let's make this a little easier on both of us. Get on all fours."

Katsuya's face flushed an even brighter shade of red. "Why? How is that gonna make things easier?"

Seto smiled seductively, "Well, for one, I want to see you acting like the puppy you are. Secondly, we'll both be in relatively more comfortable positions. But, mostly…" he licked his lips hungrily and loomed over his bashful lover, "… I wanna do you doggy-style. I think it'd be wild. Don't you?" He lightly traced an invisible line from Jou's chest to his bellybutton.

The blonde's face reddened even further as the concept of fucking like animals was more than a little arousing given the circumstances. He nodded obediently, and then positioned himself onto his hands and knees with Kaiba's fingers still lodged in his ass. The sensation of Seto's fingers while he turned over made the young pup moan in pleasure. Though he was slightly embarrassed to be in this new position, it somehow felt natural.

Seto propped himself up on his knees, as well, and positioned his body over his sensuous mate. He balanced his weight on his left hand while he continued to probe Jou with the other. Katsuya clenched the blanket he had used the previous night as pain mixed with pleasure was searing through his lower body. The moans that surfaced were just as mixed, but Seto was prepared for such occurrences. He kissed his lover's back to comfort him. He spoke in soothing tones to calm the intensity.

"It's okay, love. Just relax into the motions. I know it hurts right now, but it'll get better. I promise. Just bear with it for the time being. I'm sorry for hurting you."

Jou gritted his teeth and shook his head. "N-No… I'm fine. I… unnnh… can withstand this pain. I-It… aaahhnn… feels more arousing than… painful. Just… aaahh… ungh… keep going…"

Seto saw pre-cum leak from the blond's manhood, so he took that as a sign to take things a step further. He slowly removed his fingers from Jou's opening, which caused the puppy to whine questionably.

"You're really wet, Katsuya, and I'm already hard, so I'm gonna go all the way now."

Jou's eyes widened a bit, for even though he knew this moment was coming, he still felt unprepared for it. His heart thumped faster when he felt Seto grab his hips with both hands.

"Are you ready, Katsuya?" Kaiba panted as he positioned his penis mere inches from is lover's back entry.

Clenching his teeth and squinting his eyes shut, Jounouchi nodded in affirmation. "Y-Yes, Seto. I'm ready." He gripped the blanket even tighter in preparation.

"I'll go slow, okay? Let me know if the pain becomes unbearable. I'll stop right away. I promise." Seto assured his nervous partner.

Jou couldn't help but smile. "I know, Seto. I trust you completely. I love you."

Seto smiled back. "I love you, too, Katsuya. Here we go."

Slowly, but surely, Seto penetrated his lover's body. Within a few seconds, he was in completely. Katsuya let out a quick yelp before moving his hands onto the arm of the couch in front of him for added support. His nails scratched the leather as he tried to bear the intense pain and pressure Seto's throbbing penis was causing inside his fragile body.

Seto let out a low, husky moan when he felt the incredible heat welcoming him inside Jou. It felt amazing and he found himself falling into his own personal paradise. "Are you alright, Katsuya? Is it too much for you?" The young duel master awaited affirmation before going any further.

A few tears fell from Katsuya's eyes. The pain was so unfamiliar and intense, but if he ever wanted to have sex with Kaiba again, he'd have to get used to it. Plus, his desire to become one with Seto in mind, body, and soul was powerful enough to overcome this temporary pain. He had faith that things would get better, as Seto had said. He managed a small smile when he turned his head to look at his empathetic boyfriend.

"No. I'm alright, Seto. You said it would get better, right? I trust you with my life. Just the simple fact that you're willing to have sex with me and treat me so kindly in the process… well, it's enough to give me the strength I need to endure this pain. I know it will pass, so I'm not worried. Let's do this, Seto." He winked.

Kaiba smiled back. "You're amazing, Katsuya. Now… I'm gonna start pumping. It's going to be slow at first so you can get used to it. Here we go…"

Seto moved in and out of Jou in a slow, controlled manner. Because the blond was tense, the ring of muscles that now clenched Seto's manhood was tight, making it a tad more painful. Seto liked the way his dick was being squeezed. He smiled and moaned with very thrust. Jou bit his bottom lip while he mentally coached himself through the pain. It slowly began to feel good, but at the time, it wasn't too noticeable.

A few minutes had passed and Seto still hadn't found Jou's G-spot. He decided to try a different approach. He moved slightly to the left and began pumping.

"Aaaahhh!! Seto… uuunngh…" This new position was less painful and Jou felt the difference right away. He rapidly became more aroused with each thrust.

He still had no luck finding that special spot, though. Seto was a tad disappointed, but happy that he was able to arouse his pup more. He mentally filed this new position away for future reference. Now his mission was to move to the right and hope for more success. He moved stealthily so Jou wouldn't take notice. He stroked his lover's red hard cock to keep his senses occupied. The blond shivered and groaned, ready to burst at any given moment.

Once Kaiba was in position, he readied himself, and then gave one quick thrust.

"AAAHHH!!! Oh… God! S-Seto!" His head followed as his back arched to its fullest extent. He yelled as he felt a sensation so amazing, it was indescribable.

Seto had found it… that oh-so-special spot that would drive his lover wild. An accomplished grin spread across the CEO's face. He moaned in absolute bliss while in this new position. Katsuya's screams and yelps were like music to his ears. He began pumping faster to see if he could make Jou mutter more enticing sounds.

Jounouchi panted loudly as he clutched the leather of the couch's arm tighter within his hands. "Oh Seto! Oh… shit… harder… fuck me harder… faster… aaaahhhh…"

Heat ran through Kaiba's body like a wildfire when he heard Katsuya begging for more. He licked his lips hungrily and complied with the demands. His thrusts grew harder and faster, which made him moan louder.

Both were reaching their limits now, especially Jou who was sweating bullets down his heated body.

"Aaanghhnn… Seto… I… I'm gonna… burst! I can't… stand it… any… longer… oh god!"

Seto quickly flipped Jou over onto his back before continuing. "I want to… see your… aaahh… beautiful face as you cum… Katsuya. Katsuya…" he bent down and kissed his lover for as long as his rapid breathing would allow, "… I… love you, my Katsuya."

Jou wrapped his wet arms around his boyfriend's neck and kissed him back. "I love you, too… Seto. I… aaahhnn… love you… so much…"

In their final moments of bliss, they held each other close as a symbol of their union. Their heads flew back as they both came together. Exhausted, they both fell limp on the couch, panting heavily. Seto remained on top of Jou as he nuzzled the blond's neck affectionately.

"Thank you, Katsuya." Kaiba whispered softly into his lover's ear.

Blond brows knitted together slightly, "For what?"

The love stricken CEO held his boyfriend a little tighter as he buried his face even deeper into his shoulder. "Thank you for loving me. Besides Mokuba, no one has ever bothered to even try to love me as much as you do. So, thank you… for everything."

Jounouchi's face blushed a deep crimson as his heart melted. He smiled and felt like crying from such overwhelming happiness. He buried his face in Seto's soft brown hair and breathed in his wonderful familiar scent. "You're welcome, my love. I'm happy to be the first to make you happier than you ever have been. I love you so much, Seto." He held him close while caressing the genius inventor's smooth skin.

Seto sighed in contentment. "I love you, too, Katsuya. I'm never gonna let you go."

Jou chuckled a little, "I would never _let _you leave me. I'd stalk your ass for the rest of eternity if you ever decided to walk away from our relationship."

Seto huffed, "You sure are a pain in the ass, aren't ya? You're such a mutt."

Jou couldn't help but smirk in response. "Yeah, I guess I am. But you're stuck with this mutt, so learn to live with it, you jerk."

After a few minutes had passed, Katsuya realized what the agenda of the day was going to be. "Shouldn't we call Otogi and Honda now? It's already…" he lifted his right wrist to look at his digital watch, "… 9:37 AM. We'd better wake their asses up before 10."

Seto sighed, not wanting to be reminded of today's upcoming events. "Yeah, I guess we should call up the idiots. We've got a lot to do in less than one day; so getting started now would be in our best interest. Although…" he deepened their embrace, "… I wish I could spend the whole day alone with you."

Jou kissed his boyfriend's forehead. "Me, too. But we can do that any other day. Let's get up now or we'll never move."

With that said, the two got up, got dressed, and called their friends over for another long day of work.


	12. Merry Christmas, Aibou

A/N: Well, everyone, this is it: the final and longest chapter. There have been many trials and tribulations while writing this fic, but all in all, it's been a lot of fun. I do hope you all have enjoyed reading it. Thank you very much for all your wonderful reviews. They help keep me motivated to write.

LEGEND:

[_Italics_]: song lyrics

_Italics: _thoughts

Song Disclaimer:

Title: Winter Wish

Artist: Chihiro Yonekura

Source: Love Hina Christmas movie

* * *

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!"

"Oof!" Little Yuugi announced his presence by springing onto Yami's tummy, as he was lying peacefully asleep in bed. The startled pharaoh gasped for air.

Yuugi shook his wary friend excitedly in an attempt to wake him further. "Yami, Yami, Yami! It's Christmas! Come on, get up! There are gifts down in the living room waiting to be opened. Grandpa is also waiting for us." He sighed when he received no indication that his darker half wanted to move. "Come on, Yamiiii!"

With a slightly irritated groan, the Egyptian pharaoh opened his lazy crimson eyes halfway to stare up at his finicky little aibou. "You know, Yuugi… you could have simply opened the drapes to wake me up instead of crushing my ribs and yelling in my ears."

The little duelist blushed with embarrassment before quickly removing himself from his current position on Yami's stomach. "I'm so sorry, Yami! I got a little too excited. Are you hurt?"

His large, innocent eyes held so much guilt and concern as he stared into his darker half's fire tinged eyes. As per usual, Yami's heart melted every time his aibou gave him that look. He smiled sweetly and gently caressed his little tender cheek. "No, Yuugi, I'm fine. I was merely teasing you. Sorry if I sounded too harsh."

Yuugi's little heart raced as blood crept into his facial features, exposing a lovely red rue that wouldn't quit. Realizing his hidden feelings were in danger of being found out, the tiny dual master scurried off the bed and sat on the edge.

"J-Just make sure you come down soon, okay, Yami? Grandpa and I will be waiting for you."

Smiling softly, Yami agreed. "Okay, aibou. I'll be down shortly."

With a slight nod, Yuugi stood up and headed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He was still rather flustered when he entered the living room. Suguroku took note of his grandson's slightly red face and felt it best to inquire about a cause. "Yuugi, are you coming down with a fever? Are you feeling okay? Your face is a bit flushed." He placed his own forehead on Yuugi's to check for a temperature.

Yuugi immediately backed away defensively, his face even redder than before. "I'm fine, grandpa. It… it's these pajamas! They make me feel hot."

The old archeologist looked puzzled. He peered out a window and took note of the beautiful falling snow outside. Yuugi followed his grandfather's gaze and instantly felt quite embarrassed. He quickly tried to think of another excuse. "I-It must be the heater, then. Yeah… grandpa, did you turn on the heat too high? I keep telling you to keep it at a reasonable temperature. Do you want the heating bill to go up again? I swear…" He wandered off into the kitchen mumbling to himself, leaving Suguroku stunned and confused.

"What the heck was that all about? Did I really turn the heat up too high? Hmm…"

Upstairs, a worried pharaoh was contemplating the day's future events. Now that he was wide-awake -- all thanks to his worked up aibou --Yami simply stared blankly at the pale ceiling above. He wasn't thinking of the presents that awaited him under the Christmas tree, or of merry holiday music; not even the intoxicatingly delicious aroma of the breakfast being made just below him was on his mind. No… his thoughts focused entirely around one thing only: what awaited him and Yuugi down at Kaiba Corp.

He raised his hand towards the ceiling and stared sullenly at it while many questions ran through his mind.

"Will everything be ready by the time we get there? Did Seto and Otogi pull through? Can I be certain there will be no malfunctions? But, more importantly…" his eyes drooped a little as he formed the oncoming words on his tongue, "… will Yuugi accept my feelings?"

As doubt rose, his spirit dropped. He slapped himself with both hands and mentally brought himself out of such a depressed state.

"No, no, no! Stop thinking negatively! There's no turning back now. I've come this far and I'm not about to give up. Everyone has done so much to help me, so I can't let them down. I just need to have faith in myself." With a hearty sigh, he sat up, stretched out his thin body, and then headed down to the living room with a smile.

Once there, the only person he saw was Suguroku adjusting the thermostat and looking rather perplexed. With a slight chuckle, Yami walked over to him and inquired, "Is something wrong, Suguroku?"

The game shop owner turned and smiled when he saw Yuugi's taller friend standing behind him. "Oh, Yami, good morning!"

Yami's smile widened. "Good morning, sir!"

"I'm actually glad you're here, Yami. I'd like your opinion on something if you don't mind." He turned back to thermostat.

"Not at all. What can I help you with?" Yami glanced over his shoulder curiously.

"Be honest. Does it feel too hot in here to you? Yuugi was complaining earlier about it being too hot in this house. His face looked rather flushed when he came down this morning and, frankly, I was a little concerned for his health. I thought it may have been a fever, but he practically jumped down my throat when I inquired about it. Very strange behavior, indeed…"

Yami tried not to laugh at the hilarity in the old man's story. "Don't worry, sir. It's not too hot in here at all. In fact, I'd say it was just right for winter weather. I'm sure Yuugi was just a bit jittery this morning. I'll go check on him now. He's in the kitchen, I presume?"

Suguroku shooed Yami away with his hand. "Yes, he's in the kitchen. Go see to him while I set this darn thermostat back to where I originally had it. Darn Yuugi and his unnecessary outbursts. Kids these days, I swear…"

Yami tiptoed his way over to the kitchen and peeked in on his little hikari who was busy tending to the pancakes they all would be feasting on later. A mischievous smirk crept its way across the love-struck pharaoh's face as he continued to watch his unsuspecting prey. As he observed the little duelist flipping said flapjacks, he waiting for an opportune time to make his move.

As soon as the pancakes were stacked neatly on a large round plate, Yami crept up behind Yuugi and grabbed him around his waist.

"Grandp-AAAHHH! Y-Yami! Don't scare me like that!" Yuugi placed his right hand on his chest and breathed a heavy sigh.

Yami giggled like a child as he held the love of his life tightly within his arms. "Sorry about that, aibou. You just looked so cute flipping pancakes. I couldn't help myself. I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me on this beautiful Christmas morning."

Feeling his emotions take over, Yami pulled Yuugi a little closer until the little one's body was against his own. He relaxed his arms around Yuugi's waist, then closed his eyes and rested his head against Yuugi's. Slowly, he began to sway side to side.

Yuugi's face was now beet red as he leaned against the one he loved. Timidly, he asked, "Y-Yami… what are you…" The swaying motions made him feel very warm and comforted within Yami's gentle embrace. He closed his eyes and relaxed himself completely against the taller one's welcoming body. He felt so safe, calm, and happy being wrapped within his darker half's arms. Without giving it another thought, he turned around and wrapped his arms around Yami's waist, silently accepting the affection he was receiving. A small smile swept across his flushed cheeks as butterflies fluttered in all directions inside his empty stomach. As if dancing to their own silent tune, they continued to sway rhythmically from side to side.

In a soft tone, Yuugi spoke, "Hey, Yami…"

"Hmm?" Yami inquired and halted their magical dance.

The little duelist who had suddenly acquired such an immense amount of courage while within Yami's arms looked up at the boy of his dreams, held his hands within his own, smiled his sweetest as he stared into crimson orbs, then began to speak his mind.

"Yami… we've been through a lot together. We've always been there for each other through the good times and the bad. Um…" The more the words became jumbled in his mind, the harder it was to say all that he wanted. Staring into Yami's eyes wasn't helping, either. They were tender, loving, beautiful, comforting, full of guidance, and such unyielding devotion to anything deemed worthwhile. Yuugi's eyes shook as the love he held inside for his better half swelled up and begged to be released.

Squinting his eyes shut, he mustered up any remaining courage he had and spoke, "Yami… I… I lo-"

"Yuugi, is breakfast ready? I'm starving!" Suguroku demanded as he stormed into the kitchen.

That was all it took to obliterate Yuugi's resolve to finish his confession. He looked up at Yami who was still looking down at him with concern in his eyes and quickly glanced away in embarrassment.

_What the hell was I doing? _Yuugi felt completely abashed with how willing he was just a moment ago to confess his deepest secret to the one person he wished to keep it from. His heart rate soured through the roof as he walked over to the plate of forgotten pancakes. _Ah crap! _He mentally cursed at the fact that he'll have to reheat all of them.

Suguroku sensed a tense vibe in the air, so he scratched his chin curiously. "Did I miss something? Have you two been fighting in here? And, Yuugi, why is your face red again? Please don't tell me you think it's hot in _here, _too. Yami confirmed earlier that the temperature was fine. So what's your excuse this time, eh?" He crossed his arms and awaited a response from his grandson.

He had none. Yuugi's mind was completely blank. He fidgeted with his fingers as he tried in vain to think of something to say. "Uh… well, you see, grandpa… I… um…"

"It was the stove." Both Suguroku and Yuugi both looked over at Yami, who's comment was rather unexpected.

"The stove was really hot while Yuugi prepared breakfast and his face was a tad too close. The heat kinda got to him. That's all. A nice cool drink ought to help with that. Right, Yuugi?" He eyed Yuugi with a wink and small smile.

Yuugi smiled in appreciation, then turned to address his impatient grandfather. "Yeah, that sounds great, Yami. I could sure use a cold drink along with breakfast. You ready to eat, grandpa?" He pulled out a chair and gestured for the game shop owner to sit down.

"Of course I am. I've been looking forward to those pancakes all morning." Sugoroku smiled and took the seat presented to him. Soon after, they all were eating happily to their heart's content.

Presents were opened, songs were sung, and good feelings were passed around the Mutou home like the sun that graciously hands the evening hours to the moon when it sets. Time flew by so quickly that both teens forgot why it was so important to keep any eye on the time.

It wasn't until Yami had, by chance, glanced over at one of the digital clocks on the living room wall that things began to click.

"Oh crap!" Yami gasped loudly as his hand covered his mouth, anxiety filling every pore in his body. "I've gotta call Kaiba! I was supposed to have done so an hour ago. I hope he's not too mad."

Reluctantly, the nervous pharaoh dialed the all too familiar digits, and then waited for what was sure to be a very enraged greeting on the other end.

_Click. _"Kaiba, is that you? I'm sorry I-"

"You asshole!"

The hand that held the receiver flew an arm's length from Yami's now ringing ear. He squinted as Setos' powerful voice echoed throughout the entire living room.

"Do you have ANY idea how to tell time, dumbass?! We've all been waiting here for over a freakin' hour!"

Yami reluctantly inched the phone closer to his face. "I'm so sorry, Kaiba! I really am! We lost track of time. Yuugi's grandfather always goes overboard when the holidays come around and-"

"I could give a rat's ass about how Yuugi's grandfather celebrates the damn holidays! Get your asses down here now! If I don't see you in front of my building in one hour, I'm heading home and you can kiss your little gift extravaganza goodbye! Got that?!"

The pharaoh flinched when he heard the receiver on the other end slam onto its base. He couldn't help but feel guilty for not only making his friends wait so long for his phone call, but also for taking up their precious time that they could be spending with their families. He sighed heavily as he hung up his end.

Yuugi walked over and placed a sympathetic hand on Yami's shoulder. "That didn't sound too pleasant. What exactly did he say?"

"Don't tell me you couldn't hear every syllable Kaiba was yelling!" Yami raised an accusing eyebrow.

Yuugi shrank a bit from being asked such an obvious question. "Well… yeah, I sorta did. I just thought I'd ask to be sure."

Yami smiled and patted Yuugi's head gently. "It's okay, hikari. Yes, he was pretty cross with me, but that was to be expected. I should have been more responsible. At any rate, we need to head down to Kaiba Corp asap. He said that if we're not there within the hour, he's gonna head home. Knowing Kaiba, that sure as hell wasn't an idle threat."

As they headed to their rooms to change, Yuugi couldn't help but feel a bit miffed by how Seto acted. "Sheesh! You'd think he'd show a bit of compassion. It's Christmas, for crying out loud! We're just gonna go see one his stupid inventions – nothing to get all pissy about. He's always had such an attitude problem. I swear, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind when we get there."

With a "hmph", Yuugi entered his room, slammed the door behind him, and continued to mutter profanities as he got changed. Yami couldn't help but snicker to himself. _He's so cute when he gets mad. I hope he forgets about his disdain towards Kaiba once he sees what I have in store for him._

Yuugi stepped out of his room no more than ten minutes later looking as sharp as ever in his brand new black tux. He squirmed and fidgeted uncomfortably, "Man, I hate wearing fancy clothes. They're always itchy and uncomfortable."

Once Yami stepped out, Yuugi ceased his whining to stare in confusion at his dark half. "Yami… why aren't you dressed in your tux? Please don't tell me I'm the only one who's gonna be uncomfortably fancy today."

Yami spat out a laugh as he held up his tux, still on it's hanger and draped over by a black plastic bag. "Don't worry, Yuugi. You won't be the only one. I'll get changed at Kaiba Corp. I just don't wanna wrinkle it before hand. I don't want to look tacky, ya know?"

Yuugi gripped his chin as he contemplated Yami's logic. "You're right. Perhaps I should do the same. I don't wanna look tacky, either." He turned to head back to his room, but stopped when Yami grabbed his shoulder.

"We don't have time, aibou. We have but 45 minutes to get there and it's not as if it's a hop, skip, and a jump to Kaiba Corp. Do you think Suguroku can give us a ride?"

Yuugi smiled, "I'm sure he won't mind. It's not like he has anything better to do today. The shop's closed, after all, so he'll just be glued to the TV all day."

As soon as Yuugi's grandpa agreed, they all piled in the car and sped down to their destination.

Upon arrival, the two boys waved their goodbyes and expressed their gratitude to the old shopkeeper before he drove off.

As Yami stared up at the giant building known as Kaiba Corp, he sighed heavily. "Yup… once I walk through those doors, I'm as good as dead. Kaiba will have my head on a silver platter."

Yuugi snickered, "Doubt it. More than likely, he'll just give you a good tongue-lashing. That's what he's good at, after all."

Yami smiled at his beloved. "Heh… that's true. Well, we've wasted enough time out here. Let's get this over with."

A stark contrast in demeanor was apparent between the two boys as they walked in. Yuugi was calm, collected, and even a little anxious to see Kaiba's "supposed" new invention. His earlier feelings of resentment towards Seto were almost completely non-existent now. Yami, on the other hand, was growing more and more nervous with every step. He felt his palms begin to sweat and his heart raced rapidly, like wolves chasing after a helpless prey. His stomach was in knots and he admitted to feeling a tad nauseous.

He gulped it back momentarily as they entered the lobby. "Okay, Yuugi, you wait here while I go let Kaiba know we're here. I think I'll also change while I'm up there. I won't be long, aibou."

"I'm sure he already knows we're here." Yuugi nudged Yami's side, "He has security cameras everywhere that run 24/7, so I'm sure he's up in his office watching us right now."

Yami smirked uneasily, "Yeah, I know. But I'd feel more at ease if the verbal bashing was done as soon as possible so we can move on to more enjoyable activities."

Yuugi agreed with a giggle. "I guess you're right. Okay, then I'll see you in a little bit. Good luck! Oh and don't forget that it's okay to plug your ears if he gets too loud." He winked as he ushered Yami towards the elevator.

Yami sighed blissfully as he got in the elevator. _I don't know how I could possibly love him anymore than I do now._

When the sliding doors opened on the top floor, eight strapping young men in tuxes greeted him. Admittedly, Yami's heart stopped momentarily at the magnificent sight. They all looked so handsome. Yami flushed a bit, but coughed it back before walking in. Everyone was so happy to see him, except Seto, of course. Even through his dashing appearance, it was obvious he was still bitter about Yami's tardiness. He glanced mockingly down at his watch.

"Well, well, well. Would you look at that? I'm glad you learned how to tell time so quickly after our phone conversation. I was beginning to worry."

Yami simply rolled his eyes in response, but gave everyone else a warm smile. "I'm really very sorry for making you guys wait so long. I'm sure you guys are missing precious family time by being here today. I appreciate everything you've done for Yuugi and me. I am forever in your debt." He bowed low in deep respect.

Katsuya put an arm around him, "Hey, man, don't worry about it. In a way, we _are _spending time with family. Right guys?" Everyone, but Kaiba, nodded in agreement.

Yami was deeply touched from being referred to as a part of his friends' "family." "Thank you, everyone. That means a lot to me."

"Oh, and…" Jounouchi gestured that he wanted to speak into Yami's ear, but kept his voice loud enough so that everyone could still make out the words, "… don't ever mention the word "debt" in front of Seto. He'll take it seriously and ask for your bank account info."

Everyone, but Kaiba, burst out laughing. The young CEO huffed, "Hey! I can still hear you, Jounouchi Katsuya! Want me to rearrange your face?"

"Only if I get to rearrange your body under mine when we go home tonight." The bold blonde raised a seductive eyebrow at his now flustered beau.

Catcalls could be heard throughout the large room. The other teen boys realized once again that their little friend Jou was the only one among them that could retort Seto's badgering with little effort and produce astounding results. It was clear they were a match made in heaven.

Otogi couldn't help but poke fun at the child prodigy, "Well, there's another win in Jounouchi's favor. You really need to step up your game, Mr. Ice King."

Set glared at the dice master with as much disdain as he could muster under his glowing red face. "Listen, fuck face, I don't have to take this crap from you. In fact, I think I'll head home right now to avoid your annoying voice for the rest of the day."

As he headed towards the elevator, all the boys made a wall in his path. Seto scowled, "Out of my way, losers!"

"Hell no, Kaiba!" Honda spoke up rather forcefully. "We are NOT about to waste all our efforts and hard work simply because your stubborn ass is a tad annoyed. We _will _get through this without any further mishaps. Got it?"

Everyone's eyes were wide with astonishment as they peered over at their bold friend. A moment of complete silence fell upon the room before Kaiba spoke up.

Seto smirked eerily at Hiroto. "Are you trying to order me around, Honda? You've got balls. I respect that. But if you ever raised your voice to me again, I-"

"Oh for crying out loud! Get the hell off your fucking high horse, Seto!" Katsuya snapped angrily at his haughty boyfriend. "We've wasted so much time, AGAIN, arguing with you! Enough is enough! This is Yuugi and Yami's special day. It's not our right to ruin it. Now let's get Yami changed and make sure everything's in working order. Let's move it, people!"

Seto wanted to retort, but knew full well that the blonde was right. He grunted in annoyance as he headed back to his desk.

Yuugi was impatiently waiting for Yami to comeback down. He leaned up against the wall adjacent to the elevator with his arms crossed, occasionally glancing down at his watch.

"What is taking him so long?" He sighed, then pushed himself upright. "That's it. I'm going up there. I'm tired of waiting."

As he marched towards the elevators, Kaiba took note of this action as he stared at the security monitor.

"Hey, guys, we have a problem." He signaled with his right index finger for everyone in the room to gather by the monitor. "Looks like our little Yuugi grew impatient."

Yami's face went pale and he began to panic. He did not predict this would happen. "What should we do? He needs to stay down there. If he comes up here, everything will be ruined!" He felt his entire body begin to shake.

"Just leave everything to me." Jounouchi placed a reassuring hand on the worried pharaoh's shoulder. He then walked over to the elevator, pushed the 'down' button, walked in, and began his descent. The timing could not have been more perfect. As the elevator made it's way down, Yuugi pressed the 'up' button. As the doors slid open, a tall figure came racing out and embraced the little duelist.

"Yuugi, 'ol buddy, 'ol pal!" Katsuya greeted energetically as he snuggled his startled short best friend. "Didja miss me? That's why you were going upstairs, wasn't it? I'm so touched, buddy! You'd better be careful, though. You know how jealous Seto can get."

Finally able to pry himself from the "Jaws of Life" or better known as Jou's arms, Yuugi grinned at his goofy attacker. "It's nice to see you, too, Jounouchi. But the real reason I was heading upstairs was because I wanted to see what was taking Yami so long."

"Oh, well Yami is up there changing as we speak. Seto asked me to show you where you need to be."

Yuugi cocked a curious eyebrow. "Where I need to be?"

"Well, ya see…" Jou tried thinking up a good excuse while he led Yuugi to the front entrance of the special arena, "… Seto has this elaborate idea that he wants you and Yami to take part in. I can't give you any details since it's a surprise, but I will say that it'll be spectacular."

Yuugi couldn't help but giggle a little. "Are you really being honest, Jounouchi, or are you simply trying to make Kaiba seem like an especially giving individual?"

Jou smirked and scratched his cheek, knowing full well that he _did _just overestimate his lover's generosity. "Maybe a little bit of both. He can be quite the puzzler. Sometimes, I find it hard to read what's on his mind. I know all too well that about 95 percent of what he says is just to cover up how he truly feels. I guess I've sorta made it my duty to help him open up more. I think I'm making progress."

They stopped in front of two huge metal doors that protected the platform on the other side. "Anyway, Yuugi," Jou continued as he knelt down to look at Yuugi in the eyes, "I need you to be patient, okay? Just wait right here and don't move. All will be revealed shortly. I know you're gonna love what you see. I promise." With that said, Katsuya scampered back towards Kaiba's office.

Yuugi merely shrugged his little shoulders and sighed. "Oh well. Guess I have no choice but to do as Jounouchi and Kaiba say. I just hope that whatever lies beyond these doors is worth the wait and…" his thoughts trailed off to another topic, "… time I could be spending with Yami." His body slumped a bit as his disposition became melancholy. He quickly slapped himself a few times. "No, I mustn't think negatively. I will just have to suck it up and get through this. Yami and I will have plenty of time to hang out tomorrow." He took a deep, relaxing breath, then smirked as he waited patiently for the doors to open and reveal the prized invention.

Not a moment later did the doors actually begin to creep open on their own. The duel master's heart began racing as if it were trying to outdo his mind's rapid thought production.

"What am I expecting to happen now?" The short boy pondered as he stood there shaking ever so slightly in front of the pitch-black room. He leaned his body forward a little to peer inside. He couldn't see a thing. He was hesitant at first, but gulped it back and took a step forward.

"K-Kaiba…? Jounouchi?" He beckoned in a tone like that of a frightened child calling for its mother. He took a few more steps forward. "Guys… this isn't funny. Please come out and turn on the lights."

The last half of his wish was quickly granted as a single strobe light fell upon the center of the room, followed by what appeared to be sakura petals falling within the light's barrier. In the center, he saw a figure… a figure he soon recognized upon fixing his strained eyes. His heart stopped as he gazed in wonder and surprise.

"Ya… Yami…?"

Just then, a familiar song began to play.

[_I was tenderly keeping a small happiness_

_In your heart and soul, does it hurt like this?]_

He looked up for only a moment before his attention reverted back to the boy who looked so beautiful amidst the light and falling petals. The handsome pharaoh extended his hand toward him, silently ushering him forward. He had the warmest smile Yuugi had ever seen him make in all the years he's known him. He felt powerless against the pharaoh's charms and gingerly took hold of the gentle hand in front of him, which led him into the shimmering light. He winced for a moment, foolishly thinking the petals were real and might get in his eyes. He blushed soon after realizing his mistake and thought how silly he must have looked in front of his darker half.

_[My heart throbs so much when I think about you._

_I'm longing for your eyes, your voice, and all of you.]_

Yami took this opportunity to take Yuugi's other hand. As he held them both within his own, he felt his heart grow ten times its normal size as it beat faster than speed of light.

"Yuugi…" Yami's voice was soft, almost like a whisper on a gentle breeze. Yuugi's heart jumped into his throat while his whole body burned like a smoldering flame. He looked away, for he knew if he stared into the pharaoh's deep crimson eyes for too long, he'd lose himself in them. He still had no idea what was going on and that frightened him on some level. His mind was reeling and his hands were shaking.

_[The powdery snow that landed on my cheek changed to tears._

_Always be by my side; please don't let go of my hands.]_

"Please look at me, my dearest aibou."

The little one's heart sped even faster when he heard the pharaoh's request. Slowly, with his eyes shut at first, he lifted his head. When he finally mustered up enough courage to open his eyes, he had to take a step back from what he could now see with much more clarity. The sheer presence of Yami, not to mention that fact that he looked especially gorgeous for this occasion, was enough to make a person weak in the knees. Almost instinctually, the little duelist slowly took note of every inch of his aibou's entire being. The suit he had on complimented his thin frame and it was obvious a little make-up was applied to his face to further intensify his beauty. Violet eyes glistened with delight as they made their way back to meet with crimson ones. He noticed the pharaoh's face was now red. Could it be that this fearless pharaoh was embarrassed?

_[The winter sky and shining stars surround the two of us._

_White shoulders and white breathes; I'm feeling the winter wish with you.]_

Watching his hikari look at him with so much intensity made him quite nervous. He wanted to make the best impression possible, so he took a deep breath, regained his composure, and pulled Yuugi back to where he was originally standing. He caressed Yuugi's hands with his thumbs, gazed into his innocent eyes, and spoke with kind sincerity.

"Yuugi, we have been through so much together. It's hard to imagine how long it's been since the day you released me from my dark prison inside the millennium puzzle; nor do I think it matters that much right now."

_[We walked closely together at the ocean-side amusement park._

_Let's look at the city of lights from the Ferris wheel.]_

"What matters," he took a deep breath before continuing, "is how I'm feeling right now and how it has grown over the years of being by your side. We've seen and done so many things together. We've traveled to Egypt, gone back 3000 years into the past, dueled many a foe, talked for hours on many nights about anything that comes to mind, cried on each other's shoulders for comfort when we felt down, laughed at the silliest things… all in all, just being there for each other through thick and thin. Yuugi, I am forever grateful for all that you have done and continue to do for me. You have no idea how much it all means to me. Thank you so very much, aibou."

Like the valiant pharaoh he once was many moons ago, he knelt down on one knee, and softly kissed Yuugi's right hand. The small flustered teen thought he'd faint right then and there. His heart fluttered as he absentmindedly wondered if this was all just some elaborate dream he was having. Even if it was, he didn't want it to end.

_[The distant ocean and the fleeting kiss gave me a heartrending…]_

Both boys were so distracted by the magic of the moment that they failed to notice the sobbing cries of Anzu in the doorway. A moment later, she was carried off by force in the arms of Jounouchi, Hiroto, and Otogi. They gagged and tied her up as they carried her into the lobby where they met up with Bakura and Tozokuo who promptly sent her screaming soul to the shadow realm, where she'd never be heard from again. After thumbs up were exchanged between the boys, they triumphantly marched back up to the control room where Kaiba was silently observing the spectacle below.

Yuugi was rendered speechless. He panicked as he tried to find the right words in which to respond. "I… uh… Y-Yami, I-" he was cut short by a pair of fingers that found their way to his lips.

"Hush, my lovely little hikari. I still have more to say."

Yuugi said nothing more; only nodded to let his partner know it was okay to continue.

Yami squeezed his beloved's hands a little tighter as he continued, "Yuugi… you mean more to me than anything else in this entire world. Riches fame, glory… they all fail in comparison to how much your life is worth to me." He closed his eyes for a moment, took another deep breath in preparation for whatever may come as a result of what would be said next, peered deeply into Yuugi's amethyst orbs, and then continued with as much courage and confidence he could call upon.

"…I love you. I love you, Yuugi Mutou."

_[The beginning is the eve of a powdery snow day._

_It's a small story._

_I love you more than anyone._

_Please don't let go of my hands.]_

Yami looked to Yuugi for any signs of an answer to his feelings. All he saw was Yuugi staring back in disbelief.

_Wh… what did he just say? _Yuugi could not begin to contemplate those simple three words he heard from his dark half's lips. In a strained attempt at gaining a sense of control, he fell into complete denial. _No… he couldn't have… not him. Not the one I've secretly loved for so long. The one I have long since dreamed of holding me in his arms and telling me he loved me over and over again. No… this can't be happening. This is too good to be true. He must mean "love" as in a brotherly way. That must be it._

"Oh, I get it, Yami. You mean you love me like a brother or best friend, right? Hehe! Man, you… you had me scared there for a minute. It… It almost seemed like… like you were… gonna…"

He couldn't find it in his heart to continue, for he finally realized how painful the thought of Yami never returning his feelings truly was. He cupped his mouth with one hand as he tried in vain to force back the oncoming sobs.

Yami sprang to his feet and in one fell swoop, he cupped Yuugi's tiny face in his hands and looked directly into his glossy eyes.

"No, Yuugi. That is not what I meant. Yuugi, I _love _you! I love you more than a brother and more than just a partner in duels. I've loved you for years. It may have started out as mere feelings of friendship, but that soon blossomed into a love more pure than I had ever imagined. Yuugi, I am deeply in love with you. Please believe me."

As if to further prove his point, he closed the gap between their faces by giving Yuugi a passionate, yet gentle kiss.

_[Our future starts and there are the footprints._

_Both the warmth and the gentleness_

_I embrace the winter wish with you.]_

Yuugi stood glued to the spot as the man he loved more than anything kissed him. It was like many of the wonderful dreams he'd had in the past. Only… this was real. It was _really _happening. He closed his eyes and let go of any doubts he was having. Everything was now as clear as day. They were both in love with one another. Bound not only by fate, but by love, as well.

The flustered little teen boy felt his knees give out, so he grabbed onto Yami's tux jacket for added support. The kiss ended, much to Yuugi's dismay. The pharaoh's eyes remained closed as he leaned his forehead against Yuugi's and whispered with a hint of desperation hanging on every syllable.

"Do you believe me now, Yuugi? I love you more than life itself. I'd willingly die for you. I don't know what else to say or do to convince you that these feelings are true." A couple of stray tears could be seen trickling down his flushed face. Yami could feel his heart slowly shatter into small fragments, each holding a memory of the two boys' time together.

_[The powdery snow that landed on my cheek changed to tears._

_Always be by my side_

_Please don't let go of my hands.]_

It was now Yuugi's turn to reassure his dark half that his confession did not fall on deaf ears. He smiled and mimicked Yami's actions by cupping his damp cheeks in his hands. He then proceeded to gently lick the falling tears away and end the action with a searing kiss. The pharaoh's eyes flew open in disbelief. He wanted to believe with all his heart that his little aibou felt the same way. Hanging on to this belief with every fiber of his being, he closed his eyes and reciprocated the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Yuugi's small frame and held him tightly in fear that somehow this moment was fleeting.

After a few short moments of shared bliss, their faces parted. Both were breathless and felt weightless from the experience. Yami sighed dreamily.

"So… does this mean that you… you…"

"Yes, my dearest pharaoh," Yuugi continued in his place. "I love you, too. I've been in love with you for the longest time. I honestly never imagined that our feelings would one day be mutual. You have no idea how unbelievably happy I am right now."

He flung his arms around his new love and held him as tightly as his little arms could handle. Yami graciously accepted the embrace and held him equally as tight.

"Actually, I think I have a pretty good idea as to how happy you must be feeling right now. Don't forget that I have also been harboring a secret love for you for a long time. Hearing that you feel the same makes my heart soar to new heights. I love you so much, Yuugi! I'm so happy and relieved I can finally say that to you without fear of being rejected."

Yuugi giggled through his wide smile. "Me, too, Yami. I love you so very, very, very much! I think my heart's gonna burst!"

_[The winter sky and shining stars surround the two of us._

_White shoulders and white breaths _

_I'm feeling the winter wish with you.]_

Up in the control room, the boys cuddled with their significant others as they surveyed the romantic scene below. The warm energy emitting from Yami and Yuugi was being felt throughout the entire arena. Love was certainly in the air. It was as if spring had paid the boys an early visit.

Yami jerked himself out of the embrace when he remembered something very important. "Oh jeez! I'm so stupid! I forgot to give you your Christmas gift." He smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand and laughed. "Hold on a minute, okay? Let me get it out…" He reached inside one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a small velvety box. "I almost feel like getting down on one knee for this, but seeing as you're still in high school, I figure the big question can wait for a future date. For now, though, I want you to have this."

He opened the box to reveal a pair of beautiful rings. One was almost entirely pitch black. The outer rims were trimmed in platinum gold. The other was the exact opposite: almost entirely platinum gold with black trimming on the edges. Yuugi's eyes shook as he stared speechlessly at the beautifully paired rings. Yami took the black one out and gently placed it on Yuugi's right ring finger. With his free hand the little duel master covered his mouth in astonishment while tears of sheer joy fell down his crimson cheeks.

Yami then handed the velvet box containing the other ring over to his hikari, smiling sweetly as he did so. "I would be honored if you placed this ring on my finger, aibou."

With little hesitation, Yuugi's shaking hand took the ring out of the box and slowly placed it on Yami's right ring finger. He began to sob as an overwhelming happiness engulfed his entire being. The two boys embraced and shared tears of joy. Everything was so surreal and it felt as if a spell had been cast upon the room.

With one arm still around his aibou's waist, Yami took Yuugi's right hand within his own and spoke tenderly. "These will only be temporary promise rings till the day comes when we can make it official. I know we've only just begun our journey as a couple and that bringing rings into the picture this early on may be quite presumptuous of me… but I believe we will get to that special point. Our love and loyalty has been put to the test many times in the past and we've passed every one. In light of that, I have high hoped that we will stay together for the rest of our lives. Either that or I'm just a heavy dreamer. "Yami chuckled a bit through his half-hearted smile. He began to feel as if he was being too forward. Perhaps the rings were a bit much. He mentally sighed and thought himself a fool.

Yuugi, on the other hand, could not think of anything else besides how overwhelmingly wonderful the entire day had become. Here he was staring deeply into the eyes of the young man he had grown to love… only realizing today that that same person shared similar feelings all along… Yes, he was, indeed, the happiest person alive. He began to shake as tears surfaced once more. He threw himself into Yami's arms and sobbed.

"Yuugi, what's wrong? Do you not like the ring?" Yami was taken aback by Yuugi's sudden lunge.

Yuugi shook his head. "No, I love the ring! I… I'm just so happy right now, Yami. I don't think I have the right to feel this happy."

The once pharaoh of ancient Lower Egypt held his little love tightly in his arms and whispered, "You have every right to be happy. And I'm glad I'm the one to make you feel such happiness. I was beginning to think that I had gone overboard with the rings."

Yuugi moved only slightly out of the embrace so he could look at Yami in the eyes. "Okay, while I agree that two people whom just became lovers shouldn't jump to promise rings so soon, I also find what you said to be true, as well. We have been tested many times and, thereby, proven how devoted and loyal we are to one another. That sort of thing only happens as a result of years of building up trust and understanding. Most couples never gain so much so quickly. We are truly an exception. For all these reasons, I gladly accept this ring along with your honest feelings. I, too, have faith that we'll always be together. It's fate, after all. We were destined to be together. I believe tat now more than ever. I love you with all my heart and soul, Yami. And I'm honored that you feel the same."

Yami couldn't help but look upon his lover with a lot of admiration and respect. Yuugi was definitely wise beyond his 17 years. Pride began to swell up within the pharaoh. He smiled softly and pulled Yuugi back into a tender embrace.

"I love you so much, aibou. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Yami."

They broke the embrace and simply stared at each other in silent awe. Yami then stretched his long arms over his head and sighed deeply.

"How about we head up to the control room to thank everyone. Perhaps we should invite them al over to our house for dinner. We need to repay them somehow for their kindness and hard work. This whole thing would not have been possible if it weren't for them. The person we do owe our biggest thanks to would be Jou. This whole entire concept was his idea, after all. This was his Christmas gift to us."

Yuugi looked a little surprised. He giggled slightly, "Oh really? Wow! I guess I can imagine Jounouchi thinking up something like this. Though, I must admit, it does seem a little too elaborate for someone like him. I'm assuming he had help bringing this whole plan to life, right?"

Yami laughed, "Yeah, he had a lot of help. All of our friends had a part in it. Kaiba, Otogi, Honda, Malik, Tozokuo, Ryou, Bakura, and I all helped in some way. Kaiba and Otogi designed the special effects and lighting, of course. So be sure to thank them all properly, aibou. Jou, especially, put his heart and soul into this project. It was very heartwarming watching him day after day doing his very best. Kaiba is a very lucky man."

Yuugi smiled warmly as he thought of his best friend going through so much trouble just to make him happy. He silently promised himself to give his blonde friend a huge hug once they got up to the control room. He grabbed Yami's hand and led him out of the dimly lit room.

"Come on, then. Let's thank them by treating them to a home cooked meal."

Yami smiled. "Of course. That sounds delightful."

A truly merry Christmas awaited them all.


End file.
